The Finance Minister announced in the Council of Ministers, chaired by President Danilo Medina, that the budget for 2018 will increase with over 10%.
The meeting took place on September 25 at the presidential palace.
The state budget is set for 814.82 billion pesos.
The budget for 2017 is 684 billion pesos in government spending.
The budget must still be approved by Congress but that will not be a problem because in Congress the ruling party PLD has the majority.
Begroting gepresenteerd
The government plans for 2018 an increase of the number of social programs.
The expansion of public education will be further continued.
The number of schools has doubled.
Next part of the plan is to expand the number of qualified teachers.
New teachers now will have to do a qualification test.
Health care is improved by increasing the number of public hospitals and an upgrade of existing hospitals.
And these social programs will be launched in 2018:
'Quisqueya Digna' (literacy), 'Ciudad Mujer' (education and work for women), 'Programa Agroforestal' (stimulation livestock, agriculture and horticulture).
Source: Listin Diario