JUST A LITTLE OVER HALF of a stimulus package has been disbursed by the government, which has just two weeks left in the year to spur the economy through public spending.
A total of P61.28 billion or roughly 85% of the P72.11-billion Disbursement Acceleration Plan (DAP) has been released to agencies and state firms as of Dec. 6, Budget department data showed.
Of this, only P41.66 billion has actually been spent, accounting for only 58.78% of the package that was approved back in September as state underspending resulted in disappointing economic growth.
The data belie recent government pronouncements that public spending would surge in the fourth quarter, moving the economy closer to growth targets for the year.
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth was just 3.6% as of the third quarter, well below the full-year target of 5-6% or the forecast of 4.5-5.5%.
Like before, government agencies displayed limited absorptive capacity as they struggled to keep up with their disbursements.
Government agencies and local government units were only able to secure the release of P34.33 billion from the DAP out of their total allocation of P45.16 billion. From this amount, just P6.78 billion was spent.
The Budget department, meanwhile, was able to release the entire P26.94 billion allocated for state firms. The amount has already been disbursed, with an additional P7.932 billion for the compensation of landowners under the agrarian reform program.
The department is working with government agencies to “seriously address” the bottlenecks in their fund utilization, Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said in a statement yesterday. He likewise assured that the implementation of priority government projects was closely being monitored.
Mr. Abad still proclaimed that the DAP was now in “full swing.” He cited notable disbursements such as infusions into the National Housing Authority (P11.05 billion), Home Guaranty Corp. (P400 million) and the Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (P570 million).
Releases included P294 million to the Health department for the recruitment of nurses; P2.75 billion to local governments for a support fund; and P331 million to the Science department for the purchase of Doppler radars and the establishment of a meteorological center. –DIANE CLAIRE J. JIAO, Reporter, Businessworld
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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