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VOL. XXXVII • NO. 169 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Social infra, agri top 2024 budget Spending plan handed to Congress By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz
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RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is seeking to increase the funding for his administration’s infrastructure and agricultural programs next year, the P5.768-trillion spending plan for 2024 submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress shows.
In his budget message, the President said that (NEP), the “Build Better More” program would under the 2024 National Expenditure Program focus on social infrastructure.
TURNOVER. Budget
Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (left) submits the 2024 National Expenditure Plan to Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, who promised next year’s proposed national budget would go through the House’s quick scrutiny, deliberation and approval.
“This program, which seeks to continue and expand the Golden Age of Infrastructure of the country, will receive a total of P1.418 trillion. This is equivalent to 5.3 percent of GDP (gross domestic product),” Marcos said. This includes the public sector infrastructure budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), amounting to P176.4 billion Next page
Senate hearing to zoom in on flood problems By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rio N. Araja and Julito G. Rada AS THE country absorbs the impact of a third typhoon this month, senators are seeking hearings on the perennial problem of flooding and plan to summon officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other concerned agencies. Calls for hearings came as the Department of Agriculture said that the agricultural and fisheries sector in Northern Luzon suffered losses of P3.17 billion from the damage wrought by Typhoon “Egay,” affecting
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Supply of 7m tons of rice sufficient—DA
HARVEST FESTIVAL. Despite the recent inclement weather, children join the ‘ginoyudan’ tag-of-war events with gusto along Hapao River as the town of Hungduan in Ifugao celebrated the Punnuk (Harvest) Festival. Authorities and volunteers were on hand to secure the games, which went smoothly amid strong river currents. Dave Leprozo
THE country has a sufficient supply of rice at over 7 million metric tons (MT), an official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday. DA Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Leocadio Sebastian said the harvest during the dry season was “good,” with a total yield of 5.7 million metric tons. The country’s supply of imported rice is at 1.9 million metric tons. Next page
College students to tutor Grade 2 pupils on reading By Maricel Cruz THE Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development launched Wednesday a program to help grade school students who are struggling to read. In the “Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program,” college students will teach in-
coming Grade 2 students how to read. This developed as the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Culture is set to approve for plenary consideration the substitute bill seeking to enhance the existing K-12 basic education program. The measure is a substitute for House Bill 7893 authored by Deputy Speaker
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which seeks to amend the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. The effectiveness of the Senior High School under the K-12 Program in terms of job readiness and college readiness of students was also raised during the congressional hearing. Next page
BACK HOME.
The Philippine Women’s National Football Team or Filipinas arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday evening after making their historic debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.
WELCOME VISITOR. Former President Rodrigo Duterte (center) chats with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañan Palace in this selfie taken by Senator Christopher Go on Wednesday. According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Duterte went to see Mr. Marcos to talk to him about his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China. Text by Charles Dantes
DENR: Consider ‘Big One’ earthquake, tsunamis in Manila Bay reclamation By Charles Dantes THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday underscored the need to consider the possibility of a major earthquake or the socalled “Big One” as well as tsunamis in
the reclamation projects in Manila Bay. In a press briefing in Malacañang, Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said there is a need to observe ecological changes during the reclamation projects. Next page