By Junex Doronio
MANILA — With the emergence of Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman as one of the highest-rated Cabinet officials of the Marcos administration based on a survey by the RP-Mission and Development, political pundits on Friday told Maharlika NuMedia that she may run for senator in 2025.
In its “Boses ng Bayan” nationwide job performance evaluation for 2024, the survey firm claimed that Pangandaman received an 85 percent job performance score and an 87 percent trust rating.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan na patuloy na nagtitiwala at sumusuporta sa atin. This affirmation will serve as my inspiration and challenge to serve the Filipino people even better,” Pangandaman said.
“I share this recognition with all the hardworking men and women of DBM— sa mga walang tulog, walang pahinga, at mga matapat na naglilingkod sa bayan. Para sa ating lahat po ito,” the DBM chief added.
Other so-called “senatoriables” as they were also cited by the RP-Mission and Development as top-performing Cabinet officials were Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco Garcia, and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — By promising P1.3 billion worth of projects, eight individuals allegedly pretending to be DBM officials were able to lure one complainant who later discovered them to be fake and caused their entrapment by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
With this incident, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has warned the public against scammers who pose as DBM officials.
“These impostors shamelessly exploit public trust, falsely representing themselves as DBM officials,” Pangandaman said.
The DBM chief said the individuals were caught by the NBI in Mandaluyong City last March 26.
They were swindling victims through fake promises of securing funds or projects from the agency, in exchange for huge sums of money.
One of the suspects had allegedly posed as a DBM Undersecretary and claimed authority over special projects within the agency.
One complainant recounted being promised P1.3 billion worth of projects.
However, the complainant conducted an initial verification with the DBM and discovered that no record of the supposed officer or project in the DBM’s official records.
The suspects were nabbed at a restaurant after accepting marked money totaling P500,000 from the NBI.
“Their actions not only tarnish our institution’s integrity but also harm unsuspecting individuals,” Pangandaman said.
She urged the public to exercise utmost caution and diligence when approached by individuals claiming to be DBM officials.
“We will not tolerate such egregious deception. I urge the public to remain vigilant and report any encounters with these impostors immediately,” Pangandaman said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — In line with the envisioned Bagong Pilipinas, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has earmarked a total of P106.335 billion for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for 2024 that will benefit some 4.4 million Filipino households across the country.
DBM Secretary Mina Pangandaman on Tuesday said the number is “larger” compared to the P102.610 billion allocation for 4Ps in the 2023 budget.
The 4Ps program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor.
Pangandaman said the P106.335-billion 4Ps budget for 4.4 million households covers health and rice subsidies at P750 and P600 per month, respectively.
She added that more than 7 million students will also benefit from educational subsidies worth P300 to P700 a month.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Several barangays in the provinces of Cebu, Batangas and Mindoro have assailed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for its alleged inefficient portal system.
Some barangay officials, who requested anonymity, told Maharlika NuMedia that everytime they would try to register at the DBM portal, after two “successes” they would end up “failed” in the succeeding box they clicked.
“Parang nakakaloko naman iyang DBM portal. Bakit hindi na lang simplehan? Pwede naman na mag email na lang sana sa kanila at may nakatoka na sasagot,” the barangay officials said.
They added that the DBM app portal should not be complicated if the agency really wanted to help the local government units (LGUs).
“Maganda sana kung may Tagalog translation at hindi na masyado pahabain pa ang proseso ng pagrehistro,” the barangay officials further said.
Requests for local projects needed by barangays throughout the Philippines are supposed to be emailed through a dedicated portal established by DBM for them but it seemingly has a built-in firewall and they can’t accordingly get in even with the use of the step by step guideline provided by the agency.
What they are actually trying to avail of is DBM’s local government support fund (LGSF) released last year through a circular shortly after DBM Sec. Amenah Pangandaman’s appointment to office.
Under the LGSF, barangays are allowed to request for local projects coasting no more than P5 million, P10 million for municipal government and P20 million provincial governments.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Recognizing that online connectivity serves as the backbone of the modern world, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) under the leadership of Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has released P2.5 billion for the government’s free Internet in public places program.
On Thursday (15 February 2024), the DBM said in a statement that Pangandaman has approved a P2.5-billion Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to implement the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP).
“This funding is crucial because the internet is central to our emerging new age—the digital era. It is the backbone of our modern world. It connects us and makes everything more convenient, powering education, the economy, health care, public safety, and even government services,” Pangandaman said.
It was learned that the FPIAP involves the construction of ICT facilities like high-capacity networks, middle- and last-mile ICT infrastructures, as well as towers, data centers, assets, and other service buildings.
Targeted public areas include national and government offices, public basic education institutions, SUCs, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) institutions, as well as public hospitals, medical care facilities, plazas, and transport terminals.
The DBM said the FPIAP aims to provide zero-cost internet access in public spaces nationwide.
It also disclosed that the P2.5-billion SARO is chargeable against the Free Public Internet Access Fund—Special Accounts in the General Fund (FPIAF-SAGF) under the 2024 national budget.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Liezelle Soriano
The Department of Budget and Management announced that government employees will start receiving their year-end bonuses beginning November 15 after the release of P69.4 billion budget by the agency.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said that the P60.5 billion is allotted for year-end bonus while the P8.9 billion is allotted for cash gift of civilian employees and military and uniformed personnel (MUP) in the national government agencies (NGAs).
Pangandaman said that government employees deserve the bonus as they provide public service to the Filipino.
“This is a well-deserved symbol of appreciation for our government workers, our heroes, who give their all for the country— those who walk the extra mile and spend longer work hours out of their sheer sense of public service,” she said.
“This is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to ensure that our government workers are given these rightful tokens for all their sacrifices that are greatly contributing to the reactivation of our economy,” DBM chief added.
Pangandaman urged government employees to make prudent use of their bonuses, allocating funds for both personal necessities and the things “that truly matter.”
(AI/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
APPARENTLY BELIEVING THAT HEALTH IS WEALTH, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated over a hundred billion pesos under the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 budget for the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) that will benefit approximately 12.75 million indigent members.
At the same time, the budget is aimed to help about 8.26 million senior citizens, over 15,000 financially handicapped point-of-service patients, 136,000 unemployed persons with disabilities, and 25,512 individuals as identified in the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Peace and Development Program.
“Given the lessons from the pandemic, the Fiscal Year 2024 proposed budget will continue to strengthen primary healthcare facilities in the country, including medical assistance amounting to P22.26 billion to 1.31 million indigent and financially incapacitated patients who are unable to afford nor access quality healthcare services,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.
On Friday, the DBM said in a statement that the P101.51 billion allocation for the PhilHealth program was P1.28 billion higher than the current year’s allocation.
It explained that the increased budget for the National Health Insurance Program was made to “accommodate an expanded pool of beneficiaries and to double the annual premium rate for persons with disability (PWDs) from P2,400 to P5,000.”
According to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law or Republic Act No. 11223, PhilHealth shall provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available, and accessible healthcare services for all Filipinos.
The 12.75 million indigent members will be identified by the National Household Targeting System under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
(ai/mnm)
The Philippine Transportation and Communication Advocates (PTCA), a prominent advocate group against fake news and digital fraud, has welcomed the recent signing of a joint circular between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) aimed at strengthening the country’s fight against cybercrime.
In response to this collaborative effort by the two government agencies, the PTCA expressed its approval, emphasizing the timeliness of this development given the increasing incidence of cybercrime in the country.
According to PTCA Chief Aio Bautista, “This is a highly positive step that will bolster our mission to eliminate digital fraud and the spread of fake news. We believe that this joint circular will empower the DOJ to enlist additional prosecutors to handle the growing number of cybercrime cases.”
Bautista stressed the importance of swiftly resolving these cases, especially in the wake of recent cyberattacks on the country’s health insurer, PhilHealth.
“Swiftly apprehending cybercriminals is crucial, but prosecuting them is equally vital. Rigorous prosecution of these cybercriminals will undoubtedly send a powerful message about their malicious activities,” Bautista said.
Bautista also emphasized that the time to take action against cybercriminals is now.
The collaborative circular grants the DOJ the authority to hire an additional 1,073 prosecutors and 364 prosecution lawyers to address the increasing number of cybercrime cases.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Boying Remulla highlighted the need for this expansion, stating, “To effectively combat the evolving criminal landscape, we must deploy more public prosecutors with a deep understanding of legal complexities, digital forensics, and investigative techniques.”
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) reported that they handled 16,297 cybercrime cases from January to August 2023 alone.
In July, PNP-ACG noted a significant surge in cybercrime incidents in Metro Manila, rising from 2,477 cases the previous year to 6,250.
ACG director Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia drew attention to the prevalence of the “click the link” scam, where victims unwittingly provide scammers access to their bank details by clicking on malicious links.
Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, established the Office of Cybercrime (OOC) within the DOJ, designating it as the central authority for international mutual assistance and extradition related to cybercrime matters.
The OOC is responsible for formulating and implementing law enforcement strategies to combat cybercrime and cyber-related offenses nationwide. (ai/mnm)
By Dang Samson Garcia
THE Department of Budget and Management appealed to both House of Representatives and the Senate to approve funding for the career advancement and allowances of more than 900,000 public school teachers amounting to P38.63 billion.
The allocation was included in the 2024 National Expenditure Program under the Department of Education’s Programs, Activities, Projects aiming to alleviate the teachers’ difficult working conditions.
Included in the proposed funding was P2.16 billion for training program aimed at fostering and supporting the professional and career advancement of personnel in schools and learning centers, as well as teaching personnel who serve managerial, supervisory, and administrative functions at the Schools Division Offices, Regional Offices, and Central Office.
Meanwhile, P26.1 billion would be used to fund new school personnel positions, including P5.47 billion for the creation of 20,000 teaching positions, and the remaining P20.63 billion to fill 37,813 vacant teaching positions.
Also, an allocation under the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund was provided for the creation of 5,000 non-teaching positions in support of DepEd’s MATATAG agenda to provide adequate manpower support to teachers to teach better.
There is also an allocation of P4.83 billion in cash allowances would be used to augment expenses for teaching supplies and materials, Internet subscription and other communication expenses, and annual medical examination.
The government also urged both Houses for the approval of P374.98 million allocation for the Alternative Learning System -Transportation and Teaching Aid Allowance for ALS coordinators and implementers.
About P3.77 billion would also be used for the Special Hardship Allowance, an additional compensation to teachers assigned in schools categorized as hardship areas or where commuting is difficult, among other hazards peculiar to the place of employment.
By Liezelle Soriano
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have signed a joint circular, that would allow the former to hire more than one thousand prosecutors and more than 300 prosecution lawyers.
The mass hiring is expected for the DOJ to facilitate faster resolution of cybercrime issues.
To be exact, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the joint circular empowers the agency to hire an additional 1,073 prosecutors and 364 prosecution lawyers.
“To combat this evolving criminal landscape, we must deploy more public prosecutors with a deep understanding of the legal nuances, digital forensics, and investigative techniques,” Remulla said.
For her part, Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman emphasized the significance of the nation’s prosecution service, which has to be available to all Filipinos.
Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) earlier said that it handled 16,297 cybercrime cases in a span of eight months alone or from January 2023 to August 2023.
In July, PNP-ACG said that the number of cybercrime incidents in Metro Manila alone soared to 6,250 from 2,477 last year.
ACG director Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia said that a lot of online users are still unaware of the “click the link” scam.
He added: “The victim doesn’t know that if he or she clicks the link, it would lead to a site for updating bank details. If he or she falls into the scheme, there is a big possibility that the scammers would get a hold of his or her bank details, hence, the money would be transferred to another account.”
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
BEWARE OF SCAMMERS posing as Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
The DBM on Thursday alerted the public against transacting with individuals or groups using unverified email addresses following its discovery of a fake email address amenahfpangandaman@gmail.com posing as Pangandaman.
“Secretary Pangandaman will never use an unsecure and unverified email address to contact anyone for anything,” the DBM stressed in a statement.
It added that it has also called on authorities “to conduct a thorough investigation into illegal activities.”
“We shall exert all efforts, within the fullest extent of the law, to identify, apprehend, and file the appropriate charges against these deceitful individuals and groups,” the DBM further said.
It also advised the public to be more vigilant and discerning, and to report cases using the name of the DBM, its Secretary, or any other official to (02) 8657-3300. (ai/mnm)