Eastern Visayas to get IRA in advance
MANILA, Philippines—Internal revenue allotment (IRA) shares for December of local government units in Eastern Visayas, the region hardest hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” will be released before the end of this month.
Releasing the IRA shares of the concerned LGUs a month earlier will help in the ongoing rehabilitation and recovery activities in the areas, the Department of Budget and Management said in a statement Friday.
The DBM said the IRA for December for Eastern Visayas amounted to P1.57 billion.
“In line with the administration’s effort to speed up relief and rehabilitation activities in Yolanda-stricken areas, LGUs in Region VIII will receive their IRA shares for December by the end of the month,” the DBM said.
Eastern Visayas includes the cities and provinces of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, and Biliran.
“The extraordinary tragedy that Yolanda left in her wake has put many of our affected LGUs in a very difficult position, especially with respect to restoring the delivery of key goods and services to their constituents. We are therefore facilitating the early release of funds representing the December IRA shares of Region VIII, which took the brunt of Yolanda’s force,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.
According to the DBM, the government has P25.3 billion in funds, on top of the IRA shares, that can be used for rehabilitation and reconstruction of calamity-stricken areas.
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