BINIGYANG-DIIN ni Speaker Martin G. Romualdez ang kahalagahan ng amyenda na ginawa ng Kamara sa 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mamamayang Pilipino.

Naniniwala si Romualdez na kakatigan ng Senado ang mga amyendang ito na umaabot sa P77 bilyon na nakakalat sa mga programa ng gobyerno sa edukasyon, kalusugan, transportasyon, at social services.

“We really feel that these institutional amendments will redound to the benefit of the people. Hinding-hindi tayo magkakamali kung ang kapakanan ng mamamayan ang ating uunahin,” sabi ni Romualdez.

“And we are confident that the Senate and the House bicam members will see eye-to-eye on this. Our objectives are the same: to pass a people’s budget that reflects President Marcos Jr.’s 8-point economic agenda that will help the country bounce back from the pandemic,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso.

Sinabi naman ni House Appropriations Committee chairman at Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co na ang pagtulong sa mga mamamayan partikular ang mga lubhang naapektuhan ng COVID-19 pandemic ang isinaalang-alang sa pagbabagong ginawa ng Kamara.

“Our amendments can speak for themselves. You can see that is indeed pro-people and pro-development as we prioritized health, education and transportation. We are confident that if the Senate and the House approve these amendments, we can recover well from the pandemic in 2023,” sabi ni Co.

Ayon kay Co kabilang sa mga amyendang inilagay ng Kamara sa NEP ang mga sumusunod:

– P12.5 bilyon para sa Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD): Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations or AICS (P5B); upgrade of senior citizens’ pension through the National Commission of Senior Citizens (P5B); at Sustainable Livelihood Program (P2.5B).

– P5.5 bilyon sa Department of Transportation’s (DOTr): fuel subsidy program (P2.5B), Libreng Sakay (P2B) and bike lane construction (P1B)

– P5 bilyon sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE’s): Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program (P3B) at livelihood (P2B)

– P20.25 bilyon sa Department of Health’s (DoH): Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (P13B), healthcare and non-healthcare workers and frontliners (P5B); support for specialty hospitals (P2B); at Cancer Assistance Program (P250M).

– P10 bilyon sa Department of Education (DepEd): School and classroom construction, at special education programs (P50M)

– P5 bilyon sa Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) para sa training and scholarship programs.

– P5 bilyon para sa Tulong Dunong Program ng Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

– P10 bilyon para sa pagtatayo ng water system sa mga malalayong barangay sa ilalim ng Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH)

“What we did was allocate more budget to pro-people programs without need to sacrifice our national programs and projects for job creation. We are confident that there will be no contentions with our amendments here,” dagdag pa ni Co.