The government's spending on social services is expected to increase by 14 percent to P560.8 billion next year from P491.5 billion in 2010, data from the Department of Finance (DoF) showed.

Of this amount, the Aquino administration is setting aside P271.7 billion for spending on education, culture and manpower, which is 13 percent more compared with P240.58 billion this year.

The government's funding for social security, welfare and employment for next year will increase by 28 percent to P132.97 billion from P103.57 billion this year.

For 2011, subsidies to local government units will increase by 8 percent from P98.35 billion to P106.17 billion.

Government's support for health, meanwhile, dropped by 3 percent to P38.63 billion from P40.03 billion.

Budget for housing and community development, meanwhile, increased by 5 percent from P5.47 billion to P5.74 billion this year.

Amid calls for President Aquino to convince his family to immediately distribute Hacienda Luisita to agricultural workers, the government has tripled the funding for land distribution to P3.97 billion from only P1.28 billion.

Funding for other social services, however, decreased by 26 percent to P1.65 billion from P2.24 billion for 2010.

The 2011 budget for social services is equivalent to 6 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 34 percent of the proposed national budget for next year.

President Aquino earlier ordered the Department of Budget and Management to make sure allotments for social services continue to be disbursed despite the ongoing review of finances left by the previous administration.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad expects the government’s proposed P1.64 trillion-budget for 2011 to hurdle Congressional deliberations before the end of the year and be signed by  President Aquino early January, 2011.

Abad said that Congress has given President Aquino the assurance that the proposed budget would be passed early.