The Ministry of Interior and Local Government is one of two agencies that filed a proposed 2021 budget lower than last year’s, pegged at P1-billion pesos. The 22% reduction can be traced back to a cut in MOOE and personnel services allocation.
About P500-million is allocated for the interior affairs services program to ensure public safety and disaster preparedness. It covers Community Preparedness & Resiliency Services at P401-million, which shall be exclusively used for supplies and materials expense of BARMM-READI for regional preparedness, response, mitigation, and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, P1-million is marked for Public Order and Safety Services, which risks redundancy unless clearly delineated from the public safety and order programs under the Ministry of Public Order and Safety.
As the response to Covid-19 continues, there is also a need to take note of the assistance extended by the MILG to the LGUs during the pandemic and if said assistance will continue in 2021.
It must be noted that there are no appropriations this year for three MILG projects, namely the Local Government Supervision Project; Local Government Development Project; and Oversight, Incentives, and Awards Project. An assessment of these projects’ effectiveness is in order, as these aimed to strengthen LGU performance and capacity.
With the transition underway, funds for the turnover of constituent local government units to the BARMM also need to be allocated. This will account for intergovernmental coordination and cooperation; monitoring and oversight; harmonization of plans; and data collection.
This series of infographics is the fourth installment of the #BARMMBudgetWatch of the Office of the Minority Leader.
