DILG Presents P64.54 Billion Budget Proposal Before Congress

October 1, 2009

Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of the Interior and Local Government has presented before the House of Representatives the DILG’s proposed P64.547 billion budget for 2010, which includes provisions for the hiring of 10,000 new policemen and a total of 1,000 new officers for the jail and fire protection bureaus.

The Department of Budget and Management-recommended 2010 budget proposal is 3% higher than this year’s appropriations of P62.937 billion for the DILG, Puno had told members of the House Committee on Appropriations chaired by Quirino Rep. Junie Cua.

“Our budget proposal allocates funds for the implementation of our four priority thrusts that promote governance, namely, the implementation of Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act; our programs on local economic assistance; our human rights initiatives; and our peace and order security programs,” Puno said.

By agency, the proposed budget allocates P1.882 billion for the Office of the Secretary, representing a 23% decrease from this year’s P2.435 billion funding, Puno said.

For the Philippine National Police (PNP), Puno said the Department is proposing a budget of P49.664 billion, representing a 5% hike from its 2009 allocation of P47.268 billion.

He said for the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the proposed budget is 9% lower at P6.187 billion, from P6.815 billion this year, while the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) will get a recommended 7% hike from P4.192 billion in 2009 to P4.474 billion next year.

The Local Government Academy’s proposed budget for next year is P85.263 billion; the National Police Commission, P1.284 billion; and the Philippine Public Safety College, P969 million.

In terms of expenses, personal services will get the biggest chunk of the proposed budget at P53.107 billion, while maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) was allotted P8.588 billion, and capital outlay, P2.851 billion.

Puno said that due to the minimal increase in the Department’s budget, its expenses for capital outlay was drastically reduced by 31%, while its MOOE dropped 0.15%. Only personal services increased by 6% from P50.206 billion this year.

Despite the mere 3% hike in the DILG budget, Puno said it has managed to propose funds for the hiring of 10,000 new police officers beginning July next year, as well as 500 new jail officers and 500 new fire officers.

The proposed budget, Puno noted, also includes funds to bankroll capability building programs for newly elected local government officials; initiatives to better maintain peace, order and public safety and further professionalize the Department’s uniformed services; and the continuing modernization of the BFP and BJMP.