The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released an initial P1 billion pledged by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to Typhoon Odette-affected areas for disaster response and relief operations on Friday, Dec. 24.
In a statement, DBM said the financial assistance shall cover affected local government units (LGUs) in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), Region VI (Western Visayas Region), Region VII (Central Visayas Region), Region VIII (Eastern Visayas Region), Region X (Northern Mindanao), and Region XIII (Caraga), which were recently placed under a State of Calamity by the President.
President Duterte pledged on Monday (Dec. 20) to raise P10 billion funds for the rehabilitation and recovery efforts of the typhoon-affected areas in Visayas and Mindanao.
The computation of the allocation for the respective regions were based on the Report of the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) on the number of affected families/persons and on damages incurred on infrastructure and agriculture sectors.
On Thursday night, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte apologized to the typhoon victims in Puerto Prinsesa City, Palawan for the government’s delay in releasing Odette funds for the rehabilitation and recovery efforts.
He explained to the public that the release of government funds has to undergo a standard procedure of damage assessment from the LGUs but he temporarily waived it for the immediate release of available funds.
He also assured that the funds will immediately be available within three days.
“Bago ako magsabi ng good afternoon, mag-apologize muna ako. Maghingi ako ng tawad na napatagal ang response sa gobyerno. Sa totoo lang, hirap rin kami dito sa itaas because of the so many places scattered around at malalayo, island per island, at pati ‘yung pera,” President Duterte said in his speech in Puerto Princesa City on Thursday.
“Darating ‘yan [Odette funds]. Within three days nandito na ‘yan, nakapag-ano na [release of funds]. Sabi ko mago-overtime kami. Ang gobyerno [ay] hindi magsasara maski na Pasko. Sabi ko magsakripisyo na muna tayo.”
“This isn’t intended for infrastructure projects. This money is solely intended to be given to the people to help them with their needs. We can give you materials like lumber, there’s plenty of that in Siargao. I just need to buy chainsaws to bring some parts here,” he said in Cebuano language.
According to DBM, the total funding requirement was charged from the FY 2021 Contingent Fund and shall be released directly by the Bureau of Treasury to the concerned LGUs through their respective authorized government servicing banks. -with reports from Naomi Tiburcio/CC-rir
