MANILA, Philippines — Budget authorities on Tuesday assured the public that the government has sufficient funds to respond to communities affected by Sup0er Typhoon “Nando.”
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the immediate release of support for affected residents and for frontline agencies tasked with disaster response.
“We have enough funds and the DBM will ensure that processing will be fast, as long as the documents are complete and in order,” Pangandaman said.
As of Sept. 22, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), or calamity fund, stood at P8.633 billion. The fund is earmarked for aid, relief, and rehabilitation in calamity-hit areas, as well as for the repair and reconstruction of permanent structures and other capital requirements for disaster operations.
The Budget chief then called on government agencies to ensure proper use of the funds.
“The funds released by the DBM are for our countrymen who need them the most. That is why we are appealing to all agencies—let us make sure that every centavo reaches the rightful beneficiaries immediately,” she said.
Pangandaman added that agencies may also draw from their respective Quick Response Funds (QRFs), which serve as stand-by resources for disaster preparedness and emergency response.
These are available to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of National Defense–Office of Civil Defense (DND–OCD), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Unlike the NDRRMF, Pangandaman said that QRFs can be used immediately without the need for National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) recommendation or presidential approval.
Once at least half of an agency’s QRF has been spent, the DBM may replenish it upon request.
