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Angara enumerates 2023 budget priorities: Sen. Sonny Angara, during Wednesday’s plenary session November 23, 2022, assures that the advocacies and programs of the present administration are still in place despite several suggested amendments from his colleagues to the proposed P5.268 trillion 2023 national budget. Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, said additional fundings were provided for the following departments: education still has the highest budgetary support among the government agencies; agriculture to prioritize food security, health for additional regional hospitals, specialty hospitals and other health facilities; labor and employment for the TUPAD program; tourism to promote tourism industry; public works and highways for the construction and rehabilitation of bridges and roads; energy for the energy sector, among others. “With the inputs and support of most if not all of our colleagues here in the Senate, we have been able to keep this budget aligned with the objectives and the agenda outlined in the Medium Term Fiscal Framework or MTFF. Let this be a sign of our broad support to the goal set by the Marcos administration and our principled commitment to promoting a unified government for the betterment of our people,” Angara stressed. He further stated that his committee submitted a more complete report with the breakdown of all amendments for the body’s consideration. The Senate approved the 2023 national budget on third and final reading with 21 affirmative votes, zero negative vote, and zero abstention. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)