The 2022 National Budget which is the last full-year budget crafted by the Duterte Administration is crucial to ensure that it brings back the country on track and prevents any long-term scarring of the adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis. With the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia case in 2022, LGUs will have additional resources that will enable them to carry out the functions vested upon them under the Local Government Code of 1991.
An equitable regional budget can help ensure that LGUs will be able to respond to more contagious variants spreading in the regions, and make their communities and local economies resilient. Moreover, a regional allocation targeted to support the most financially-disadvantaged LGUs can help guarantee that all LGUs will be able to fulfill their devolved functions.
This budget briefer looks into the regional distribution of the 2022 National Expenditure Program (NEP), and in more detail the regional allocation of major departments and the NG’s infrastructure program. It also examines the budget’s responsiveness to select socio-economic indicators that are important benchmarks to achieve the aspiration of a comfortable life and a secure future for every Filipino.