‘Yolanda’ fund sidelines nat’l budget OK

The passage of the P2.268-trillion 2014 national budget may take a little longer.

Congress on Monday put off the bicameral conference committee on the budget to next week to prioritize approval of the P14.6-billion supplemental budget to deal with the aftermath of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

The bicam committee was originally set to meet on Monday. They will come together on Monday next week.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives “want to focus” on hearing the supplemental budget this week, Sen. Francis Escudero said.

The House was set to approve its version of the supplemental budget on second and third reading on Monday. The Senate was expected to follow suit the next day.

Since it had been certified urgent by President Aquino, the measure could be approved on second and third reading on the same day by either chamber.

Both chambers agreed to move the schedule as “they are awaiting substantial damage reports on Yolanda” from key agencies, said Escudero, chair of the Senate finance committee.

Congress has seen it fit to craft a supplemental budget given the huge devastation wrought by Yolanda in the Visayas. The total rehabilitation and reconstruction cost could range from P100 billion to P130 billion, officials had said.

The supplemental budget will be funded with the unspent P14.6-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, that had been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

To be able to use the fund immediately, the senators agreed with the House proposal to make the supplemental budget effective a day after its publication, instead of the usual 15 days.

In their version of the supplemental budget approved at the committee level, the senators agreed to allot P5.6 billion of the P14.6 billion to quick response funds (QRF), and the balance to the President’s calamity fund.

Unlike the calamity fund, QRFs are standby funds of agencies that don’t require recommendations of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or the approval of the President for their release.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Jr. acknowledged that QRFs were “more flexible.” Noting that it took time for the NDRRMC to approve the release of funds, Escudero said it was easier for government agencies to use QRFs.