Finance Minister Peggy Serame announced on Monday in her maiden budget speech that P1.29 billion which is provided for social protection schemes has increased by between 15 and 38 percent.
Senior citizens will see their grants increased by P100 from P530 to P630 a month. The same increment will apply for the destitute, people with disabilities, World War II Veterans and Village Development Committee members.
The Minister said the increase signify government’s commitment to care for and support the elderly and vulnerable segments of the population. P1.29 billion is provided for four social protection schemes whose allocations are increased by between 15 and 38 percent.
The Minister said growth over the 2021/2022 approved budget is P15.63 million or 0.2 percent. She said proposed budgetary provision will cater for the promotion of effective local governance structures, implementation of strategies for sustainable livelihoods as well as to ensure availability of resources for local authorities to meet their statutory responsibilities.
“The major budgetary provision amounting to P3.66 billion goes to Revenue Support Grants (RSG) to District and Urban Councils, which accounts for 51.2 percent of the proposed Ministerial Recurrent Budget. It will also cater for food supplies at primary schools, psycho-social support services to the general public in response to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, mainly the rising number of Gender Based Violence cases against women and children, as well as payment of social benefits,” she said.
