Philippines still has P13.6B in calamity funds as rainy season nears —DBM

The Philippines has around P13.6 billion in funds remaining to respond to anticipated natural calamities in time for the onset of the rainy season even as the country reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday.

Latest DBM records show that there is still an available balance of P13,677,919,958 in the national disaster risk reduction and management fund (NDRRMF) out of the total P16 billion appropriation in the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020.

“Parating na ang wet season natin. Hindi naman maiwasan na magkaron ng natural calamities po,” Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said in a virtual Senate hearing.

“Sa natitirang pondo natin [na] P13.6 billion pwede magamit sa calamity...,” he said.

DBM records also show that around P2.1 billion from the NDRRMF was released to three agencies to respond to the COVID-19 crisis—comprised of a P1.5-billion special allotment release order (SARO) for the replenishment of the Department of Agriculture’s quick response fund (QRF); a P500-million SARO for the Department of Health’s additional QRF; and a P100-million SARO for the Department of National Defense.

The DBM defines QRF as a stand-by fund used in to cover relief and rehabilitation in communities or areas hit by calamities, epidemics, crises, and catastrophes. — BM, GMA News