DBM releases P2.1B from calamity fund to fight pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released to three departments fighting the COVID-19 pandemic a total of P2.1 billion from funds included in this year’s national disaster risk reduction and management program (NDRRMP).

Documents showed that the DBM released P1.5 billion to the Department of Agriculture through a special allotment release order (Saro) on April 1 “to cover the funding requirements for the replenishment of the quick-response fund (QRF)” due to COVID-19.

Also from the 2020 NDRRMP, the DBM issued a Saro worth P500 million to the Department of Health (DOH) to cover the agency’s additional QRF in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The March 16 Saro for the DOH was supposed to “cover the funding requirements to address the emerging threat of COVID-19,” another document said.

On April 27, a total of P100 million in Saros were issued to the Department of National Defense (DND), of which the biggest Saro of P45.6 million went to the Philippine Air Force; P24.2 million to the Armed Forces of the Philippines; P15.5 million to the Philippine Navy; and P14.7 million to the Philippine Army.

The Saros released to the DND covered “additional funding requirements for the operations and implementation measures against the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019,” the DBM said, as President Duterte had tasked military and other uniformed personnel as COVID-19 front-liners.

The Inquirer on Saturday asked Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado for details on these releases, but they were not immediately available.

—BEN O. DE VERA