PR
Today, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the historic national spending package for next year, or the General Appropriations Act of 2021, an all-important measure that will enable the government respond to and address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has severely damaged our economy and disrupted the lives of millions of Filipinos across the country.
The P4.506-trillion national budget approved by Congress is the biggest by far and will better position the Philippines to beat the public health crisis and rise from its devastating effects. This is also a reflection of our government’s serious commitment and strong resolve to defeat the virus and bring the economy back on track.
Among the important features of this pandemic-responsive budget is the allocation of P72.5 billion for the purchase, storage, transportation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Another P2 billion has been earmarked for the purchase of personal protective equipment or PPE to ensure that our health workers are safe as they carry out their duty of saving every patient from the virus.
Sa ating mahal na Pangulo, maraming salamat po sa inyong napapanahong paglagda at pag-apruba ng 2021 national budget. Tunay ngang wala kayong ibang hangad kundi ang ikabubuti ng inyong mga kababayan lalo na sa panahong ito ng pandemya. And to our colleagues in the House of Representatives and our counterparts in the Senate, thank you very much for your hard work and for putting together this milestone legislation in a timely manner.
