Quirino Governor Dax Cua on Thursday appealed to the national government and lawmakers involved in the crafting of the 2021 national budget to increase public investments in regions outside of Metro Manila to spur economic development in the provinces and provide more economic opportunities for those who will avail of the government’s Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa Program (BP2).
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday said it will propose a P4.3 trillion budget for 2021, a figure higher by 5 percent as compared to the current year.
“Metro Manila still accounts for the lion’s share of public investment.”
Cua, who is also the national president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), stressed that individuals and families who choose to relocate to the provinces “should not encounter the same conditions that, in the first place, forced them to migrate to the city: limited economic opportunities and inadequate income to feed their families, send the children to school, and live in decent homes.”
“Investing in the regions outside Metro Manila will help ensure that Balik Probinsya does not lead to Balik Syudad. Kailangan natin buhayin ang probinsya para magtagumpay ang Balik Probinsya.”
The former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means pointed out that Metro Manila “still accounts for the lion’s share of public investment, not only in terms of raw numbers but also on a per capita basis.”
Citing 2019 figures, Cua revealed that the National Capital Region obtained P905 billion in public investment, 33.4% of the total invested in the whole country.
“Public investment in the regions outside Metro Manila range from 43 billion pesos spent in Soccsksargen to 331 billion pesos spent in the Davao Region––still a far cry from what is invested in NCR,” said Cua.
According to Cua: “Metro Manila is the center of the country’s economic activity, so it makes sense to invest heavily in NCR; but if we want to develop other hubs of economic activity in the region, we have to invest correspondingly.”
“If we want to develop other hubs of economic activity in the region, we have to invest correspondingly.”
Cua explained that on a per capita basis, the government spends P70,278.96 for every NCR resident, which is 161.58% higher than the per capita national average of P26,866.93.
“Out of 17 regions, 10 regions have per capita public investment substantially lower than the national average. I believe we have to distribute these investments more equitably in order to spread out economic development,” added Cua.
Cua pointed out that Section 4 of Executive Order No. 114 states that the BP2 Program is “hereby established as a national program of the government, and adopted as a continuing strategy to drive inclusive and balanced urban and rural development.”
“Malaki ang potential nitong BP2 maging game-changer sa buhay ng mga kababayan natin, pero kailangan natin pondohan ng maayos para ma-achieve nya objectives nya.”