Published January 11, 2021, 11:29 PM
Despite enjoying an allocation of nearly P6.7 billion, the Free Wi-FI Program assigned to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) scored a dismal 15 percent accomplishment even as it was tainted with irregularities, the Commission on Audit (COA) has reported.
The 2019 COA annual audit report for DICT that was released late December, 2020 also noted that the DICT received P398 million from the Department of Science and Technology “based on invalid obligation”, adding that there were irregularities in the “disbursement of public funds” in connection with the release of P10 million in operating expenses that was taken from transferred DOST funds in 2015.
Despite pandemic, 91% of Filipinos hopeful for 2021
Dec 23, 2020 3:47 PM PHT
Despite the crippling coronavirus pandemic and a string of tropical cyclones that hit the country, Filipinos are still optimistic about their prospects in 2021, said a recent survey by pollster Pulse Asia.
A total of 91% of Filipino adults said they will be facing the new year “with hope,” according to the November 2020 Ulat ng Bayan survey results released on Wednesday, December 23.
Pulse Asia said this is a general sentiment shared by populations in each geographic area and socioeconomic grouping.
Only 1% of those surveyed saying they are “without hope” for the upcoming year, while 8% said they are ambivalent on the matter.
Senate gives final OK to bill extending Bayanihan 2 budget By DONA MAGSINO, GMA News
Published December 15, 2020 6:14pm Voting 18-0, the Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a bill that would extend the appropriations under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 until June 30 next year. More than a fifth of the P165-billion Bayanihan 2 or P38 billion remains unobligated, Senator Sonny Angara said as he sponsored the Committee Report No. 159, taking into consideration House Bill No. 8063. If these agencies are unable to have these funds released and obligated by the end of the year, these are returned to the national treasury, he told his colleagues in plenary.
Senate PRIB / MANILA BULLETIN
A day after its passage in the House of Representatives, Senator Sonny Angara sponsored in the Upper Chamber’s plenary House Bill No. 6656, which calls for the extension of the validity of the 2020 General Appropriations Act to December 31, 2021; and House Bill No. 8063, which proposes the extension of the validity of Bayanihan 2 funds to June 30, 2021.
President Duterte yesterday certified the bills as urgent.
Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said the bills would authorize the government to continue disbursing a total of P148 billion from the two appropriation laws.
Citing Department of Budget and Management (DBM) data as of November 30, Angara said some P110 billion from the appropriations in the 2020 GAA has yet to be released.
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