P24.13 Billion ICT-Related Spending Alloted by DBM in 2023
A total of P24.13 Billion worth of budget was alloted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for ICT-Related Expenditures from the P5.268-Trillion National Budget for 2023.
The allocation was disclosed by DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman during her keynote speech at the Carmela Resort on Thursday, March 23, at the annual convention of the Philippine League of Local Budget Officers (PHILBO).
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DBM revealed that the budget allocation for ICT covers funding for the Free Public Internet Access Program, National Government Data Center Infrastructure, National Broadband Plan, and the National Government Portal, among others.
Secretary Pangandaman was quoted as saying "“Under this budget, some P3.56 billion was given to the Department of Finance and its attached agencies, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Bureau of Customs, to improve government revenue collection through digitalization,” she said.
The ICT-Related budget includes the P2.06 billion allocation for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) to fast-tract its rollout and deployment.
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Aside from the PhilSys budget DBM also revealed that a portion of the P7.24-billion financial assistance was also allocated to LGUs to be used for ICT systems and infrastructure developments such as the establishments of an Integrated Business Permit and Licensing System, and digitalization of payments for collections and disbursements.
The DBM is also lobbying and working with Congress for the enactment of the Progressive Budgeting for Better and Modernized Governance or the PBBM Governance Bill.
“This is hope to institutionalize the Integrated Financial Management Information System and strengthen implementation of the Cash Budgeting System,” Pangandaman said.
She said the DBM has identified digital transformation as a key pillar for government reforms.
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