DAVAO CITY – Malacañang said the Department of Health has funds for its family planning program despite the removal of P1 billion from its budget for the purchase of contraceptives.
Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr cited an explanation from Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and said the proposed amount for the family planning program under the 2016 National Expenditure Program was P3,137,872,000.
This amount, he said, is under the women’s and men’s health development component of the department’s Family Health and Responsible Parenting.
“In the 2016 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the amount was reduced to P2,275,078,000. The decrease, amounting to P862,794,000, pertains to the procurement of the Implanon implant, which is a contraceptive. Senator (Vicente) Sotto had intimated during the Senate deliberations that he would move to delete the budget for the Implan on implant in view of the Supreme Court TRO to temporarily stop the distribution and selling of the said contraceptive,” Coloma said.
He said instead of the P3.137-billion budget for women’s and men’s health development component of the Family Health and Responsible Parenting, the Congress’ final version of the 2016 GAA allocated P2.275 billion for the program.
However, Health Secretary Janette Garin in news reports was quoted as saying that the budget for family planning which is intended to buy condoms, pills, and IUDs was removed.
Garin said they cannot use the budget intended for other items. (davaotoday.com)
