President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday signed the P3.767-trillion national budget into law, saying it forms part of the first step toward transforming the Philippines into an “upper middle class” country before the end of his term. Premium on social servicesSen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate finance committee, said the 2018 national budget put a premium on social services. This is to implement the landmark law providing for free education in government-run tertiary institutions. ADVERTISEMENTPublic schoolteachers will get an increase in their chalk allowance, which would go up from P2,500 to P3,500, under the Department of Education budget. The DOH budget was increased to provide additional funding for its medical assistance program for indigent patients and additional medicine for cancer patients.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 19, 2017 23:22 UTC