Manila, Sept. 27 -- Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon sought to increase the budgets of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in order to bolster the government's ability to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and address the plight of the poor, as he underscored the need to include the special amelioration program (SAP) in the next year's budget.
Drilon appealed to Congress to give priority to the budgets of the two agencies critical in the government's fight against Covid-19 pandemic, saying that the proposed PHP4.5-trillion national budget for next year does not adequately respond to the country's needs today.
"Sa aking tingin, parang walang pandemic. ...