THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the 2021 budget is 98.6% released as of the end of November, equivalent to P4.441 trillion in the year to date.
According to data issued by the DBM Thursday, the unreleased portion of the P4.5-trillion budget amounts to P64.84 billion.
Releases to government agencies accounted for P2.523 trillion, or 95.7% of the P2.637 trillion allotted for them.
Special purpose funds posted a release rate of 92% with P404.756 billion of the P440-billion budget.
The remainder consisted of budgetary support to local government units, the Contingent Fund, the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund under the special purpose funds.
Releases from automatic appropriations amounted to P1.237 trillion or 86.6% of the P1.429 trillion allocated. These include retirement and life insurance premiums, internal revenue allotments, block grants and interest payments.
The DBM has released the entire P275.086 billion left over from the 2020 budget.
This year’s budget is being positioned as a stimulus measure that will boost recovery from the crisis.
The Senate last week approved on final reading the proposed P5.024-trillion budget for next year. — Luz Wendy T. Noble
