Around P23-B set aside for typhoon rehab under final version of 2021 budget–Yap

FILE – Roads, streets, and homes in Tuguegarao City were submerged under water at the height of the severe flooding that hit Cagayan province on Nov. 14.  Photo courtesy of David Te

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate and House of Representatives have allocated around P23 billion under the final version of the proposed 2021 budget for rehabilitation efforts following the series of typhoons that recently ravaged the country, Rep. Eric Yap bared Wednesday.

Yap said this after the bicameral conference committee adopted and approved the final version of the proposed national budget for 2021, which is seen to drive the country’s pandemic and calamity response and recovery efforts.

“I think almost P23 billion ‘yung mga nilipat namin within the agency rin yun,” said Yap, who serves as the House appropriations chair, when asked how much was allocated for the government’s rehabilitation efforts following Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

“Tinitignan namin unang-una yung mga hindi implementable, yung mga least na kailangan at nilipat namin sa mga provinces like Cagayan tulad ng iba pa sa Bicol, [sa] Albay, doon namin nilagay yung mga infra, mga roads, mga kailangan nila,” Yap added.

(We’re looking at first the unimplementable [projects], the least needed and we transferred the infra, roads—things they need—to provinces like Cagayan, and other places in Bicol.)

Yap said “unimplementable projects” that were realigned include some of the infrastructure projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Meanwhile, according to data given by Senator Sonny Angara’s office, here are the top 10 sectors and government agencies with the highest allocation in the 2021 budget:

1. Education (Department of Education, State Universities and Colleges, Commission on Higher Education, TESDA) – P708,181 billion
2. Department of Public Works and Highways – P694.822 billion
3. Department of Interior and Local Government – P247.506 billion
4. Department of National Defense – P205.471 billion
5. Department of Social Welfare and Development – P176.659 billion
6. Department of Health – P134.941 billion
7. Department of Transportation – P87.445 billion
8. Department of Agriculture – P68.622 billion
9. Judiciary – P44.108 billion
10. Department of Labor and Employment – P36.606 billion

Angara’s office clarified that funding for COVID-related measures were spread out over various government agencies, and not just the DOH, which explains why the health department only placed sixth in the ranking.

The Senate and the House are now expected to ratify the bicam report on Wednesday afternoon so it can be submitted to the office of President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

CFC