Unprogrammed funds OK for disaster response–DBM

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. —PHOTO FROM HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The government may use unprogrammed funds for disaster response in areas hit by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine if the current allocation for this purpose is inadequate, according to Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

The DBM pointed this out on Friday as President Marcos ordered the full deployment of personnel and resources to hasten in the delivery of calamity assistance.

He said he wanted to see “a conveyor belt of aid” in action, as he ordered Pangandaman to immediately release all necessary funds to hasten procurements.

At a Palace briefing, the budget chief said the government could tap unprogrammed funds in the 2024 national budget, which amounted to P731.448 billion.

DOF certification

Unprogrammed funds are additional obligations for priority programs or projects which can be used if there is excess revenue collection or funds from grants or loans.

“I just received a certification from the Bureau of Treasury, Department of Finance, for unprogrammed appropriations. Assuming we need more funding, we can tap the unprogrammed appropriations,” Pangandaman told the President during the briefing.

Assuring funds for immediate disaster response and rehabilitation, Pangandaman also reported on the status of their possible sources.

Replenishments

As of Oct. 24, she said, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) has P1,983,059,181 left, of which P1.845 billion is from the 2024 national budget and P139 million is from the continuing appropriations under the 2023 budget.

There is also a pending request for the DBM to issue a special allotment release order to earmark money from the NDRRMF to replenish the quick-response fund (QRF) of three agencies.

The proposed allocations are as follows: P1 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways; P25 million for the Philippine National Police; and P37.5 million from the Office of Civil Defense.

Pangandaman said this will leave P921.4 million in the NDRRMF.

Several agencies still have QRF balances that can be tapped for response efforts, she said.

Among them are the Department of Agriculture, which still has P 1.5 billion; and the Department of Educatio, which has P3 billion.

Meanwhile, the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, which is raised by collecting five percent of the local government units’ revenue, can be used for predisaster preparedness programs and postdisaster activities, as well as payment of calamity insurance premiums.

Pangandaman added that the government can also tap its contingent fund which has a balance of P 10.33 billion.

In a statement also on Friday, President Marcos assured flood victims that “Help is on the way. It will come by land, air, and, even by sea.’’

“I want to see a conveyor belt of aid that is constantly delivering aid to the front,” he added.