The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Aquino administration has given the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the green light in preparing the 2013 national budget, just a month after the President signed this year’s General Appropriations Act.

“As the President broke ground with the earliest budget signing since [1986], so do we follow suit with the early preparation of the proposed budget for 2013,” Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said in a BusinessWorld report.

President Benigno Aquino III approved this year’s P1.816-trillion budget last Dec. 15, barely five months after it was submitted to Congress.

Abad said the beginning of the budget preparation was signaled by the DBM’s budget forum, which started yesterday. He said government agencies, departments and state firms will be briefed on the guidelines and requirements for budget preparation, as well as indicative budget ceilings, through the forum.

“This will strike out ambiguity in the preparation process and encourage all departments to draft their respective budget proposals in a timely, accurate and compliant manner,” Abad pointed out.

The DBM has set April 9 as deadline for the submission of budget proposals from government agencies and state firms. It said budget priorities for 2013 include poverty reduction, good governance, economic progress, national security and climate change.

In a separate report, the budget department has called on civil soceity groups to participate in the budget forums to be conducted in different regions.

DBM regional director Imelda Laceras said a regional budget forum will be held by the DBM Region VIII office this coming January 20.

“It aims to, among others, flesh out remaining lump-sum fund, strengthen Regional Development Council mechanism, expand CSO engagement, and implement the “Bottom-Up” approach in budgeting,” the government said in a release.

The 2013 budget proposal will be presented to President Aquino and his Cabinet on June 21, after which it will be transmitted to Congress on July 23 when it opens its third and final session, according to a report.