HOUSE TO BEGIN MARATHON HEARINGS ON 2024 BUDGET

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House Committee on Appropriations will begin on August 10 the deliberations on Malacañan’s proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024.

The House committee will immediately buckle down to work as the House of Representatives has formally received the proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024 from the executive department.

Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, the panel’s chairperson, vowed to meticulously and closely scrutinize the 2024 National Expenditures Program (NEP). He also vowed to work on the swift passage of the national spending plan as the House led by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez targets to approve the money measure before Congress goes on a break in October.

“The appropriations panel is ready to diligently review every aspect of the budget proposal. The committee members understand the weight of their responsibility and are fully devoted to the task at hand,” Co said.

He pledged a transparent and effective budgetary process to the best interests of the nation and the Filipino people.

“Being entrusted with the oversight of the nation’s budget is a privilege and a solemn duty. We recognize the significance of this responsibility bestowed upon us by the people,” Co said.

“It is our duty to earnestly review and thoroughly understand every budget proposal to ensure that it addresses the pressing needs of our people,” he added.

According to Co, the Romualdezled House aims to provide muchneeded financial support to the Marcos administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and align with the objectives of the Philippine

MORE THAN 3 MILLION AFFECTED BY TYPHOONS, DISASTER AGENCY SAYS

THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 806,812 families or 3,031,909 individuals were affected by the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Typhoons Egay and Falcon

The NDRRMC said the affected persons were from Regions 1, 2, 3, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, BARMM, CAR, and NCR.

The agency said of those affected, 13,779 families or 51,593 persons were served inside 648 evacuation centers, while 57,985 families or 233,609 persons were served outside evacuation centers, GMA News reported.

The report further said 17,349 persons from Regions 1, 2, 3, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Region 6 were preventively evacuated, according to the NDRRMC.

The reported casualties remained at 29, two of whom were confirmed. The reported injuries also remained at 165, 152 of whom were confirmed. Eleven people were reported missing.

A total of 396 road sections and 33 bridges were affected, and the power supply of 266 cities and municipalities were affected, with power restored in 156 localities.

A total of six cities or municipalities from Region 1, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Region 5 had their water supply affected; and 10 cities or municipalities experienced interruptions in their communication lines.

Development Plan 2023-2028.

The House appropriations committee will kickoff the budget discussions on Aug 10 with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to touch on the breakdowns of the trillion budget proposal. It is expected to begin its plenary debates by September 18.

Co said the House commits to transmit the 2024 General Appropriations Bill to Senate by the end of September. “As a united committee, we vow to leave no stone unturned in this rigorous process,” Co said. “We recognize the magnitude of our task, and we are resolute in our commitment to maintain the highest levels of transparency and accountability throughout the budgetary review,” Co stressed.

The 2024 NEP is pegged at P5.768 trillion or 9.5 percent higher than the current government budget.

Of the proposed P5.768 trillion, P893.3 billion or 15.5 percent will go to general public services, and P699.2 billion or 12.1 percent will go to the debt burden. Meanwhile, P287.2 billion, or 4.9 percent of the budget will go to defense.

Some P2.183 trillion or 37 percent will go to social services, and P1.709 trillion or 29.6 percent will go to economic services.

Based on the 2024 NEP, the education sector still gets the biggest budget allotment among the various branches of government at P924.7 billion.

This was followed by transportation, P214.3 billion; public works, P822.2 billion; social welfare, P209.9 billion; health - P306.1 billion; agriculture - P181.4 billion; interior and local government, P259.5 billion; judiciary, P57.8 billion; defense, P232.2 billion; and labor and employment, P40.5 billion.

“Priority programs of the administration that will be covered include the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program, School-based Feeding Program, Provision of Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials, Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), among others,” Mr. Marcos said in his budget message.

Since Friday, the MMDA is conducting clearing operations on Mabuhay Lanes and other major roads in Quezon City where they towed illegally parked vehicles and dismantled structures blocking the streets.

Traffic enforcers also issued citation tickets to public utility vehicles loading and unloading in non-designated areas.

Heavy traffic was observed on the northbound lane from North Avenue going to the Quezon Avenue flyover in Quezon City on Saturday morning.

Affected motorists were also advised to take the following alternate routes:

Alternate Route via Skyway from North to South On-Ramp - NLEX Balintawak• Quezon Avenue• Plaza Dilao• Nagtahan Off-Ramp - Quezon Avenue• Nagtahan• Zobel Buendia • NAIA 1,2, and 3• Doña Soledad• Dr. Santos• Alabang Zapote• SLEX Elevated ext. - to point of destination.

Mmda Enforcers To Start Using Body Cameras

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it is ready to start using body cameras for traffic enforcers to deal with erring motorists after local executives in the National Capital Region (NCR) approved the guidelines presented by the agency. Members of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) made the approval following a recent meeting with MMDA officials at the agency’s central office in Pasig City. The MMC, composed of the 17 mayors in NCR, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.

The MMDA led by its chairman Don Artes presented the guidelines on the proper use of body-worn cameras for traffic enforcers and procedures when flagging down motorists beginning next month.

The recordings from the body cameras will be linked to the MMDA Command Center. it can be used as evidence in case there is a complaint or there is an illegal transaction between the caught motorist and the traffic enforcer.

Artes said the agency will continue to collaborate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units in the use of body worn cameras.

TAGLE URGES PINOY YOUTH TO BE ‘INFLUENCERS’ FOR JESUS

CARDINAL Luis Antonio Tagle urged young people to be “influencers” of Jesus in the digital world, according to a report of Church-run Radyo Veritas reported over the weekend.

Tagle issued the call at a Mass celebrated by Daet Bishop Rex Andrew Alarcon, also the chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth, for the Filipino delegation to the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday. According to Tagle, the digital world is a vast and extraordinary world that is an opportunity for young people to spread God’s Word by influencing truth, justice and being a guardian of nature and fellow creatures.

“We are all inhabitants, residents of the digital world, that is a world that is heavily populated and all of us inhabit that world,” said Tagle, the Vatican’s Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization.

“Young people of the Philippines spread the influence of Jesus, the influence of truth, justice, caring for the earth, caring for fellow human beings, spread this influence in the world of social media,” he added.

Tagle noted that an individual will be a more effective influencer if the influence of Jesus and the Word of God is spread and shared through modern means of communication in the digital world.

“We hope as influencers inspired by the Gospel, we will allow Jesus to influence us,” he said.

“If you are an influencer, ask what is it that influences you, maybe you are only using it when influencing so you are just duplicating the influence of others, but if the one influencing you is Jesus and the Gospel, go right ahead influence other people through this social media which is a world in itself,” the former Manila archbishop added.

Over a thousand Filipino pilgrims are in the Portuguese capital for the weeklong youth gathering that opened on Aug. 1.

On Thursday, about half a million young people from all over the world filled the Eduardo VII Park to meet Pope Francis during the welcome ceremony.