MANILA, Philippines — Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co has thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for being decisive, as the Chief Executive approved the 2024 national budget without vetoing the unprogrammed fund provisions.
In a statement on Saturday, Co said that the unprogrammed funds would help the government’s anti-inflationary measures, by providing social aid to poor families and those categorized as near-poor — or households earning less than P23,000 per month.
Marcos last Wednesday signed the P5.768 trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA), vetoing just two items — provisions involving the revolving funds of the Department of Justice and the implementation of the Career Executive Service Development Program.
“I salute the president for (being) decisive in approving the GAA budget and sustaining the unprogrammed funds which is an unprecedented 300% increase on anti inflation for our near poor filipino brothers, a truly Christmas Gift to all the Filipino,” Co said.
“Especially the expanded ayuda for AKAP (Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita) program — a new program for 12 million household Filipinos for near poor Filipino famil(ies) with P23,000 pesos salaries (per month). This year budget is a true budget centered on the 70% Filipinos who are near poor,” he added.
Co said there are other measures that are expected to benefit farmers, by the use of unprogrammed funds.
“We also have anti inflation on rice that would benefit farmers and all the Filipinos that would get cheap rice . If there (are) excess revenues, the unprogrammed funds would directly benefit our near poor Filipino countrymen,” he said.
“Unprogrammed funds are not new and let’s hope and pray that we have excess revenue so that we can provide more ayuda to our Filipino brothers.