DOF: P352B released so far for efforts against COVID-19

The Philippine government has so far released P352 billion for efforts against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with the lion's share for assistance to poor households.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said some P258 billion or 73% was allocated for emergency subsidies and other forms of assistance to poor and low-income households.

As of April 23, the government has released a total of P200.42 billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the social amelioration program (SAP) covering some 18 million households.

Another P6.435 billion was released to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for its assistance program for workers affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Meanwhile, P51 billion was released to the Social Security System (SSS) for the implementation of the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program for some 3.4 million workers of 1.6 million small businesses.

The remaining amount was remitted to the Departments of Health (DOH) for procurement of medical supplies; Science and Technology (DOST) for production of testing kits; and other state agencies and local government units (LGUs) for grants. A breakdown for this was not released.

"So far, supisiyente po yung cash natin pero naiipit na po tayo sa budget allowance natin," Finance Secertary Carlos Dominguez III said last week.

"Yan po ang problema natin ngayon. May cash tayo pero wala ho tayong authority gumastos ng ganun kalaki," he elaborated.

The DOF last week said the P1.4-trillion war chest against COVID-19 is estimated to be fully available by the end of April.—AOL, GMA News