MANILA, PHILIPPINES ITHURSDAY 2 MAY 2019

Use'Ps-B rlhspent fund, DoH prodded

.BtHananedBordey . i. reallocafe them somewhere else,n Arroyo Personal services budget increased
asked the health officials. from P34 billion last year to P38 billion
Flormer hesident and curtent Speaker For his part, Health Undersecretary for 2019 after the approval of the
Gloria Mabapagal-Arroyo recently urged Mario Villaverde reported to the panel release of fourth tranche of the salary
the Departrnent of Health (DoH) to make that the proposed budget under the standardization.
use of its P5 billion unobligated fund 2019 National Expenditures Program The budget for
from the 2018 national budget to other will decrease by 34 percent decrease maintenance and
health projects. because of the shift to cash-based other operating
Arroyo made the call during the budgeting. expenses was
joint meeting of the House Committees The agency's original proposed cut from P4l
bn Health and Appropriuiions, during budget was slashed from P106 billion in 2018
which she led the overslght on the billion to P70 billion for fiscal to PSl billionfor
budget spending to assess the agency's year 2019. \ * 2019 due to the
performance and discuss in advance its transfer of the
budget for next year. ARROYO DoH budget for
Arroyo asked the DoH officials to the employment
enlighten the panel on their plans on bhe iii:i::i:1 :,;;{ program to
lrogram tb the
2018 budget which was carried over to the
,lS, miscellaneous
,i

current year, as passed by Congess and 1,',{,..\ personnel

approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. .,,. '\\ benefit fund'

The agency's origirnl proposed

budget was slashed from P106
billion to P70 billion for fiseal.ytiar :lr:l
i'+
20r9.
Fi,iitUn,t,,:SpB.ttd,in,g,,,,'.'
DoH Secretary Flancisco Duque Former President and
reported that there is P97 billion currenl Speafier Gloria
obligated for 2018 but they still Macapagal.Ar:rovo wants' ;i i
have Pb billion unobligated tunds
as of the moment.
nlf you
haven't obligated them,
do you plan to obligate them or

PAqe *6u