President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night certified as urgent the proposed PHP5.024-trillion budget for 2022.

In a September 29 letter addressed to House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Duterte sought the immediate enactment of House Bill 10153, or the 2022 General Appropriations Bill.

Duterte said the spending measure must be immediately enacted to “address the need to maintain continuous government operations following the end of the current fiscal year, to expedite the funding of various programs, projects, and activities for FY 2022, and to ensure budgetary preparedness that will enable the government to effectively perform its constitutional mandate.”

According to Velasco, the House aims to pass its version of the 2022 national budget by September 30, or before Congress suspends session on October 17 to November 15 for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 2022 elections.

Velasco said the overall objective is for President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the 2022 General Appropriations Act by December to prevent a reenacted budget that could slow economic growth and hamper the delivery of government services.

The proposed budget for next year is 11.5 percent higher than this year’s PHP4.506 trillion.

It is guided by a strategy supported by three main pillars — Building Resilience amidst the Pandemic; Sustaining the Momentum towards Recovery, and Continuing the Legacy of Infrastructure Development.

The social services sector will receive the largest share of PHP1.92 trillion or 38.3 percent of the total 2022 budget.

The economic services sector will receive the second largest share at 29.3 percent or PHP1.474 trillion; 17.2 percent or PHP862.7 billion to general public services; 10.8 percent or PHP541.3 billion to debt burden (including net lending); and 4.5 percent or PHP224.4 billion to defense. (PNA)