Senate seeks to realign remaining PDAF for calamity use

Senate President Franklin Drilon FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday filed a resolution seeking to realign unreleased Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to augment the calamity funds.

“We are filing today a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate for the executive department to realign the remaining 2013 Senate PDAF to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC),” he said in a radio broadcast.

Senate Resolution 302 urges the executive branch to augment NDRRMC funds following the Office of the President’s declaration that only P1.37 billion was left of the allotted P7.5 billion.

“The Senators of the Philippines express their desire to assist the victims of these occurrences and help in the speedy post-disaster recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of the provinces affected by the disasters,” the resolution said.

Drilon clarified that the PDAF itself could not be released because of the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order but it could be realigned as calamity funds.

“If released as a calamity fund the legislators cannot identify which projects will be funded,” he added.

Drilon said the President has the authority to realign funds based on Section 25, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, the General Appropriation Act of 2013, and the 1987 Administrative Code.

In addition to the resolution, Drilon turned over P6 million from the Senate’s savings to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The amount will be used for relief operations in areas affected by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol and other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.