LIBMANAN, Camarines Sur ---Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said the P1.415-trillion national budget for 2009 submitted to Congress has increased in terms of percentage and nominal value shows the focus of President Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration in the coming year.

        Andaya cited an increase of 114 percent in the budget of Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Development (DA), the highest among other budget items for departments that he said is followed by 50 percent increase in the budget of the Department of Agriculture.

         He included the Department of Health (DOH) with an increase of 30 percent, together with the DSWD and DA, among the top three highest recipients of the 2009 national budget in terms of percentage increase.

         Andaya explained that the 2009 national budget reflects the focus of the Arroyo administration in the coming year that he said pertains to the priority on social services, agriculture and health.

         In nominal terms, he said the Department of Education (DepEd) got the highest budgetary increase at P20 billion; the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with an increase of P18 billion; and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) with an increase in its budget at P14 billion.

        Andaya said the national budget is expected to be balanced until 2010 but he said the national government cannot avoid continuing deficit spending as a result of the economic crunch brought about by the prices of petroleum products and inflation rate.