Philippines President Benigno Aquino’s 2.6 trillion peso (Dh213 billion) budget for 2015 aims to ensure that public trust in the administration is restored. The focus on education, social welfare, public facilities, environment, science and technology and defence expenditure seeks to guarantee that the upliftment of the lesser privileged in society is a priority and government functioning is back on track.
The president is attempting to send all the right signals. Zero tolerance for corruption and curbing activities of ministers who have a question mark hanging over their portfolios will, in the long run, ensure that Aquino holds on to power. The crunch will come during the disbursement of the funds, given that public money going unaudited is an age-old story. Since this is the government’s proclaimed ‘Budget of the People’, the onus will be on the administration to ensure that the masses are beneficiaries and that it’s not the country’s elite who will reap the harvest of government patronage. The economy has recovered since 2004 and in order to ensure continuity, administrators will try to ensure social stability. The government must exercise its power and empower the people in turn.
