Contingent, calamity funds to help displaced Boracay workers

Apart from the P2-billion allotment pledge by President Rodrigo Duterte to help those who will be affected by the six-month closure of Boracay, the government can also tap other funding sources to help the island, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday.

On Monday, Duterte said the government can make available about P2 billion to locals who will be adversely affected by the temporary closure of Boracay.

In a breakfast forum in Manila, Diokno said the P2 billion will be sourced from the P19-billion national calamity fund under the 2018 National Budget, P10 billion of which has already been allocated to rehabilitate war-torn Marawi City.

Senator Joel Villanueva said in a separate statement last week that the calamity fund was not enough to help workers that will be displaced due to the island’s closure.

Diokno noted there are other fund sources that can be tapped for the purpose of helping displaced workers. “Meron namang funds na pwedeng i-access like ’yung contingent fund ...”

Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed the 2018 contingent fund is around P13 billion.

Apart from the national calamity and contingent funds, Diokno said local government units have their own respective calamity funds to be used in case an area is placed under a state-of-calamity.

Duterte earlier said he will soon assign the proclamation of state-of-calamity in Boracay to enable the government tap the calamity funds.

Concerned government agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development have their own appropriations, which can also be used to help workers and poor families in the island, Diokno said.

Boracay island will be closed for a six-month rehabilitation starting April 26 as recommended by the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Interior and Local Government after Duterte threatened to close down the island and called it a “cesspool.” —VDS, GMA News