Isko Moreno approves Manila’s P22.2 billion city budget for 2022

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday signed the city government’s budget for 2022 worth P22.2 billion, which is higher by P2.2 billion from its 2021 budget.

In a statement, Moreno said 53.86% or P11.956 billion of the total budget was earmarked for social services including healthcare services, education, social amelioration, and food security programs.

Under the social services budget, 16.69% of it was allotted for healthcare services, 10.72% for social amelioration programs, 5.10% for food packs, and 3.81% for education.

Aside from social services, 18.84% or P4.182 billion of the budget was earmarked to general public services, 8.15% or P1.808 billion for budgetary requirements, 9.30% or P2.063 billion for statutory and contractual obligations, 7.21% or P1.602 billion for economic services, and 2.64% or P585 million for financial expenses-interest expenses.

Moreno further said they allocated more than half of the city budget for social services to continue the local government’s efforts in uplifting the lives of Manilenos during the pandemic.

“Gamot para isurvive yung tao, and facilities para may mapaglagakan at mapapanatag yung mga kamag-anak na ma-iimpeksyon ng COVID-19,” Moreno, who is also a presidential aspirant, said.

(Medicine to help people survive and facilities for healthcare of COVID-19 patients.)

“We will be more vigilant. We will continue to be efficient in expenditures and we will find ways as much as possible to give free and better healthcare for each and everyone not only for COVID-19 but for all other diseases,” he added.

Despite the pandemic, Moreno said the budget allocation for the city government had continued to increase. In 2020, the budget was P17.8 billion and in 2021, the allocated budget is P20 billion.–LDF, GMA News