SA PAGLAGDA ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa 2021 General Appropriations Act, tiyak na ang pondo para sa mga pangunahing programa ng pamahalaan upang makabangon ang ekonomiya, kasama na ang dagdag na suporta sa ipinatutupad na online/distance learning.

Ito ang ipinahayag ni Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sonny Angara kasabay ng pasasalamat sa Pangulo at sa Department of Budget and Management sa kanilang pagtatrabaho sa panahon ng Kapaskuhan upang mapag-aralan ang pambansang pondo na inaprubahan ng Kongreso.

“All of Congress saw the urgency of approving the 2021 national budget on time. We went through two reenacted budget — one that lasted for four months in 2019 and the other for a few days in 2020. There is too much at stake in the 2021 budget. The economy is set to bounce back after a historic slump this year due to the Covid19 pandemic and any delay in the passage of the budget would be akin to throwing a monkey wrench in the recovery process,” pahayag ni Angara.

“With this sense of urgency among the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the budget measure was transmitted to Malacañang on schedule, giving them enough time to go over the voluminous document and sign it before the year ends,”dagdag pa ng senador.

Kasama sa mga binigyang prayoridad sa P4.5 trillion 2021 national budget ang suporta para sa flexible/distance/blended learning; paglalagay ng free wi-fi sa mga pampublikong lugar at State Universities and Colleges; supplementary feeding program; at training for work scholarships and special training for employment.

Isinama na rin sa pambansang pondo ang pagpapatupad ng Doktor Para sa Bayan Act o ang scholarship sa lahat ng mga nagnanais na kumuha ng kursong medisina upang matiyak na hindi na kakapusin ng mga manggagamot ang bansa.

“The P4.5 trillion 2021 national budget, together with the soon-to-be enacted extension of the validity of funds under the 2020 GAA and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act will provide the government with the tools needed to address the pandemic, help our people to get back on their feet after losing their livelihood and their homes, and revive our economy as we inch slowly towards recovery,” diin pa ni Angara.