MANILA, July 9 (PNA) — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced that 94.6 percent of agency allotments have already been released as of June 30, 2015. In total, 86.6 percent of the original 2015 program was released in the first half of the year.
“Under the GAA-as-Release-Document regime, the DBM made the majority of funds available to agencies at the very start of the year. The remaining allotments are earmarked for later release, once agencies have complied with conditions or have requested the funds,” Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.
These figures represent an increase in allotment releases compared to the first half of 2014, when 91.6 percent of agency allotments and 86 percent of the total program were made available for obligation. On the other hand, releases for automatic appropriations registered a slight decrease, from 95 percent in 2014 to 94.2 percent this year.
PARTICULARS; Program; Allotment Releases; % of Releases Over Program.
First Half; 2014; 2015; 2014; 2015; 2014; 2015.
A. General Appropriations Act: 1,468,599,325; 1,739,768,572; 1,191,242,013; 1,441,425,081; 81.1%; 82.9%.
Departments: 1,150,692,033; 1,333,849,887; 1,053,966,407; 1,261,669,870; 91.6%; 94.6%.
Special Purpose Funds: 317,907,292; 405,918,685; 137,275,606; 179,755,211; 43.2%; 44.3%.
B. Automatic Appropriations: 796,029,175; 866,231,428; 756,182,568; 816,389,211; 95.0%; 94.2%.
Original Program: 2,264,628,500; 2,606,000,000; 1,947,424,581; 2,257,814,292; 86.0%; 86.6%.
“Given that our proposed budget for 2016 stands at P3.002 trillion, it is crucial that agencies—especially those with big-ticket projects and still-unreleased allotments—ensure the timely implementation of their programs this year. This way, we can further strengthen service delivery in 2016 instead of catching up on the previous year’s program,” Secretary Abad added.
On the back of Administrative Order No. 46, which directed agencies to adopt measures to clear procurement bottlenecks, improve reporting on project implementation, and complete documentary requirements for allotment release, the DBM set guidelines for the creation of a Full-time Delivery Unit in each agency. These units will act as problem-solvers in their respective agencies and will assist DBM in tracking agency expenditures.
Additionally, DBM released a National Budget Circular (NBC No. 2015-558) in June, strengthening the organizational structure of agency Procurement Units, and providing them with additional staffing to support their Bids and Award Committees (BACs). (PNA)