The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has announced that the proposed national budget for 2024 will maintain a focus on infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education.
In a statement, the DBM emphasized the government’s commitment to allocating funds to expenditure items that will drive the economy toward a path of high growth.
“We will continue the infrastructure program of the national government, from Build, Build, Build to Build, Better, More, from five to six percent of GDP. This year, it’s 5.8 percent. So, we’re still working on the 2024 budget, and we need to adhere to that,” stated Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Pangandaman highlighted the significance of prioritizing the agriculture sector, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the pandemic happened, everything closed — our value chains stopped, and it’s important that we have enough food in our country, enough produce,” she said.
The budget chief also emphasized that support would also be provided to the health and education sectors. This includes the upgrading of skills among the country’s workforce.
The framework encompasses infrastructure development, food security, digital transformation, enterprise development, human capital development, climate action and disaster resilience, strategic directions in transitioning to full devolution, and research, development, and innovation.