Marcos: Quick response fund depleted due to back-to-back typhoons

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the country’s quick response fund (QRF) is already running out because of the consecutive weather disturbances that hit the country in the past few months.

He said this in his speech in Albay where he led the distribution of assistance to families, farmers, and fishermen affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

READ: Marcos puts all gov’t agencies on ‘high alert’ due to Marce

“Ang QRF natin…ang katotohanan diyan, dahil sa dami ng bagyo, ay naubos na. Kaya’t ang ginawa natin ay nagtabi ulit tayo ng pondo para mabigyan ulit, malagyan na naman natin ng laman ang QRF natin para sa mga local governments at sa inyong mga pangangailangan,” Marcos said.

(Our QRF… the truth is, because of the many typhoons, it has been depleted. So what we did was set aside funds again to replenish our QRF so that we can provide for local governments and your needs once more.)

The QRF is a reserved fund used to cover relief and rehabilitation in the event of disasters and calamities.

Meanwhile, in a message sent to reporters, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Marcos might be pertaining to the QRF replenishment.

“Under the 2024 GAA (General Appropriations Act), the existing NDRRMF (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework) balance can still be used to replenish agency QRF (when agency QRF reaches 50%) to fund the immediate needs of disaster-stricken localities,” DBM said.

“But with the limited NDRRMF balance, the DBM is looking to tap other sources of funds to support the continued relief and rehabilitation of vulnerable areas,” it added.

The DBM said other funds that may be tapped are the Contingent Fund and available funds from the regular budget of various departments.

The QRF under 2024 GAA amounts to P7.9 billion. Among the agencies with allotted QRFs are the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, among others.