Legarda: Nat’l Budget Must Promote Inclusive, Sustainable Dev’t

Senator Loren Legarda, the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, said that she will endeavor to make the 2016 national budget inclusive and attuned to the sustainable development goals.

“I have been entrusted with the task to chair the senate finance committee and I accept the duty with the goal of ensuring that the 2016 national budget will be inclusive, which means that the government will fund programs not only for economic development but also for the growth of every citizen; not only to create progressive communities but also to build resilience; not only to reduce poverty but also to promote sustainability,” Legarda said.

The Senator said that the 2016 national budget should already be attuned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will succeed the Millennium Development Goals when it expires at the end of 2015.

The proposed SDGs aim to end poverty and hunger, improve health and education, make cities more sustainable, combat climate change, promote peace and justice for all, and protect the environment and biodiversity.

“While the SDGs are still being finalized and will be adopted in September, we already have to work on incorporating these goals in our national development agenda by ensuring that government funds will be used to attain these targets. We will scrutinize the proposed national budget and ensure that it will be used judiciously and for the common good,” Legarda said.