In The News:
The budget ceilings set by Abad are P9.9 billion for Congress, P2.5 billion for the Office of the President, P421.1 million for the Office of the Vice President, P20.3 billion for the Department of Agrarian Reform, P48.3 billion for the Department of Agriculture, P255.2 billion for the Department of Education, P31.9 billion for state universities and colleges, P4 billion for the Department of Energy, P21.8 billion for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and P27.8 billion for the Department of Finance.
The Department of Foreign Affairs was given a limit of P11.4 billion; Department of Health, P51.8 billion; Department of Interior and Local Government (including the Philippine National Police), P92.3 billion; Department of Justice, P10.7 billion; Department of Labor and Employment, P8.8 billion; Department of National Defense (including the Armed Forces), P81.8 billion; Department of Public Works and Highways, P189.3 billion; Department of Science and Technology, P10.3 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P66.9 billion; Department of Tourism, P2.2 billion; Department of Trade and Industry, P3.7 billion; and Department of Transportation and Communications, P35.5 billion.
The judiciary was given a budget ceiling of P17.8 billion; Civil Service Commission, P1.2 billion; Commission on Audit, P7.9 billion; Commission on Elections, P2.5 billion; and the Office of the Ombudsman, P1.8 billion.
Abad said the “indicative ceilings” might be adjusted when Aquino meets with his Cabinet to determine the final shape of the proposed 2014 national budget.
What is a Budget?
An estimate of costs, revenues, and resources over a specified period, reflecting a reading of future financial conditions and goals.
The value of money currently is determined by our FEARS.
When we look at how much money is being allocated for National Defense, we know how much FEAR we have as a nation.
Let's look at common sense.
We see each of us as a threat to our security within our mind because we know that our SURVIVAL IS NOT GUARANTEED in this unequal monetary system. We are constantly competing with one another in all areas of our lives to survive within a fear that maybe one day, we will lose our job, our home, our money, our food, our car etc..
This is why we are always STRESSED!
What if we reverse this and decide as humans that we are tired of this inequality and direct ourselves to just go for what is best for all of us - where we can have a job when we want one as our way of sharing our skills to others and when we want to retire because of old age etc. we have enough to have a dignified life - not to mention, when we suffer calamities like typhoons, we have money to rebuild our homes, food on our table and dry clothes to wear.
We deserve a dignified LIFE.
We spend so much money to defend our country.
We finance death (going into war) instead of financing the survival of All
We raise our expenditure in financing defense rather than FINANCING GUARANTEED SURVIVAL for those who needs to survive.
We create a world of war.
Enough!
We finance to kill others in war - those that does not have the same skin color, the same religion etc.
We Justify this and then Blame each other.
The money that is supposed to be given a value equal to LIFE by giving it to those that needs to survive and have a dignified life, is being used to take the lives of others.
Here, we abuse others, we abuse money and we abuse the body by gunning each other in the battle field.
This is fuzzy logic.
Let's expand the meaning of the word 'Budget':
An estimate of costs, revenues, and resources over a specified period, reflecting a reading of a stable financial condition where we all have enough money to spend to get our basic necessities and enjoy our expression in life.
Instead of using fuzzy logic (of the mind), let's use COMMON SENSE.
let's say YES to a Living Income Guaranteed!
