Photo Release

Insufficient Budget for Health, Economic Stimulus: Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan thanks Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairman of the Committee on Finance, for “superbly shepherding” the national budget for 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Pangilinan also thanked Angara, who presented the 2021 national budget for ratification during the hybrid plenary session Wednesday, December 9, 2020, for accepting the senators' amendments. However, he lamented that there are significant items which, he said, are still biased towards pre-COVID 19 priorities of the government. “The budget for health, livelihood support, Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged (TUPAD) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are insufficient and pale in comparison to infrastructure. Health and economic stimulus should have been given more funding over infrastructure and security,” Pangilinan said. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)