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March 14, 2024
KOROR, Palau — President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. is submitting a supplemental budget bill to Olbiil Era Kelulau that will support improvements in the economy, education, security and health of the people of Palau.
It also aims to raise the minimum wage responsibly: by 75 cents this October and another 75 cents next October, reaching $5 by October 2025.
“This supplemental budget was thoughtfully crafted to meet the needs of our community while balancing our revenues to ensure we spend responsibly and do not saddle our children with debt,” said President Whipps.
The supplementary budget also aims to help those most in need by:
– Increase the Child Support Grant from $100 to $200 and change eligibility requirements to ensure all Palauan children receive assistance.
– Increase benefits for people with severe disabilities, increasing the home-based individual benefit to $250 and the benefit to $200 for people who are blind or in a wheelchair.
– Provide a $480 tax rebate for people earning between $15,000 and $30,000.
– Providing assistance to retired citizens: Provide assistance of US$480 per person to retired citizens living in Palau, aged 60 or above, with no employment or business income, totaling US$1.056 million.
Other highlights of the supplementary budget include:
– Ministry of Education: US$2.25 million
o School Operations Bureau: $1.6 million
o Curriculum and Instruction Bureau: $500,000
o Textbooks, supplies, and equipment: $100,000
– Department of Justice: $830,344 for Bureau of Public Safety
– Treasury: $627,150 for PEWA, economic diversification programs, and all bureaus
– Department of Health and Human Services: $1,998,940
o Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund: $206,400
o Public Health and Human Services: $231,660
o Hospital and clinical services: $917,040
– Office of the President: $175,000
o Council of Chiefs: $75,000 to help host a traditional leaders forum
o Office of the President: $100,000 to ensure optimal community service
– Office of the Vice President: $48,713
o Nemo: $23,713
o Office of the Vice President: $25,000
– MHRCTD: $173,000
o Funding for public bus transportation fuel and bus drivers for youth events under the OBF, Department of Human Services, and overtime pay for upcoming events
– Department of State: $620,772
o Requests that the budgets of the consulates in Washington, D.C., the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, the Republic of China, the United Nations, and Guam be restored to pre-pandemic levels.
o Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Trade: $50,000
– Entitlement: $220,000
o Agriculture Bureau
– Brief: $1,298,720
o Communications, Aviation, Maritime and National Capital Power and Maintenance Bureau
– Palau Housing Authority: US$262,000
o To repay the loan
– Judiciary: $1,260,000
o Create a new case management system, increase salaries, and build a public website to host all of Palau’s laws
Other Grants
– Microgames: $350,000
– 30th Independence Day: $100,000
– Pacific Arts Festival: $150,000
– Minato Bridge Japan Official Development Assistance Resettlement Project: US$600,000
– Saipan-Belau Bai Project: US$150,000
– NDBP: US$250,000
– Pacific Mini Games membership fee: $200,000
– Guam Palau Building Repairs: US$75,000
You can watch a video of President Whipps discussing the supplementary budget https://rb.gy/filqee
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