MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is set to begin plenary deliberations on Tuesday on the proposed P4.1-trillion 2020 budget that puts emphasis on health, education and social services, according to Sen. Sonny Angara, the finance committee chair. Some P1.25 trillion of the budget consists of automatic appropriations while the rest are new appropriations. DepEd budget up by P6.2BThe Senate panel increased the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget by P6.2 billion to fund vouchers for senior high school students studying in private schools, so that they would not have to drop out, Angara said. The Senate committee also increased by P8.5 billion the funds for Student Financial Assistance Program under the Commission on Higher Education. The Senate committee also allocated P7 billion to prevent the mass layoff of nurses, doctors, midwives and other health professionals deployed to “underdeveloped and unserved” areas, Angara said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 11, 2019 20:33 UTC