By Katrina Gracia Consebido
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Thursday, June 2, that the country has sufficient calamity funds to respond to typhoons and other emerging calamities.
DBM officer-in-charge Tina Rose Canda said the country’s calamity fund has not been reduced much, noting that it is just the second quarter of the year and “first responder” agencies have built-in quick response funds within their budget.
“To date, mayroon pa tayong sapat na pondo dahil hindi pa naman masyadong nabawasan iyong calamity fund ano, kalagitnaan lang ng taon,” she said in the Laging Handa briefing.
“Karamihan ng malalakas na bagyo ngayon ay kakaiba na, sa latter part of the year na nangyari… Sa tingin namin at this point mayroon pa tayong pondong sapat para ma-meet o mapunan kung anumang gastos ang maidudulot nitong mga kalamidad at sakuna na ito,” she added.
Among quick responder agencies are the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Office of the Civil Defense.
Canda said the government still has a contingent fund approved by President Rodrigo Duterte amounting to P6.8 billion.
“Ang contingent fund ay nari-release iyan pagkatapos aprubahan ni Presidente. Ngayon, mga P6.8-B pa iyan. So, mayroon pang sapat na pondo para doon sa, para pang-augment nung calamity fund,” she said. – ag
