MANILA, Philippines – Subsidies disbursed by the government to government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and state-owned agencies reached P17.439 billion last year, already way above the P11.3 billion programmed subsidies for the period, latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury (Btr) showed.
The latest figure is 17.43 percent more than the P21 billion disbursed in 2008, data also showed.
Subsidies are still on the rise despite plans by the Department of Finance (DOF) to slash subsidies for state-owned firms to plug the government’s yawning budget deficit.
For the whole of 2009, the single biggest recipient of government subsidies is cash-strapped National Food Authority (NFA) with P2 billion each in July and in November.
This makes NFA the biggest recipient of government subsidies since the start of the year.
The government subsidizes the operations of NFA because it is mandated to sell rice at lower prices, usually at a heavy loss for the agency and to state coffers.
The next biggest recipient is the National Housing Authority (NHA) which is mandated to develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated housing program for the poor. NHA received P3.858 billion in subsidies last year.
Other major recipients of subsidies last year are the Local Water Utilities Administration which received P1.950 billion and the Philippine National Railways which received P1.168 billion. PNR is mandated to provide railway services to promote economic development.
The National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., the government’s major secondary market for home mortgages that uses the funds of agencies to buy home mortgages, is also one of the highest recipients. It got P900 million in subsidies last year.
The DOF is continuously reviewing the performance of government-owned and controlled corporations to determine which may be recommended to Congress for abolition.
Subsidies given to state agencies are on the rise even as the government is facing a swelling budget deficit which is expected to hit a record P293 billion this year. –Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
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!
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Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
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Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
