Tourism sector still awaiting DBM's release of P10B Bayanihan 2 aid —DOT chief

The tourism sector has yet to feel the impact of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act as the release of the P10-billion assistance allocated for it is still pending with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat told senators on Monday.

During the budget hearing for the proposed P3.8 billion budget of the Department of Tourism and its attached agencies for 2021, Puyat said around 5,000 micro, small, and medium tourism enterprises are being targeted to benefit from the P6 billion loanable funds earmarked for the DTI's Small Business Corporation.

The budget, however, has not been released yet.

"We are still following up with the DBM... It's not yet released," Puyat said.

Another P3 billion which shall be used to assist the displaced workers through the programs of the Department of Labor and Employment is also pending, she added.

Puyat went on to say that the P1 billion which was supposed to go to tourism infrastructures has not been released to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

"Not a single peso out of the P10 billion na pinaglaban natin sa Bayanihan 2 has been released," Drilon told his colleagues. "Do not be angry at the Tourism Department if anything because there is no money released."

The senator surmised the reality is that there is no money to be released.

"That's the painful truth. There is authority but the authority cannot be backed up by funds," Drilon said.

"That is what we have to live with. We hope that something could be done in the 2021 budget. There's a lot of fat, there's a lot of lump sum and yet worthy undertakings like the tourism industry do not get the priority," he added.

In a separate Senate hearing, the Department of Agriculture said the P24 billion Bayanihan 2 fund earmarked for the sector is also pending with the DBM.

The senators, stressing that the Bayanihan 2 will soon expire on December 19, said the concerns regarding the snail-paced release of funds shall be reported to the joint congressional oversight committee.—AOL, GMA News