SOME P13.54 billion worth of calamity funds have been disbursed as of the end of July, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program report, calamity funds worth P13.04 billion were released to National Government agencies, while P499.94 billion went to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) as of the end of July.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received P7.67 billion, followed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with P4.64 billion.
Calamity funds worth P374.97 million went to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, while the departments of Finance and National Defense received P255.5 million and P100 million, respectively.
Among GOCCs, the National Irrigation Authority was given P450 million, while the National Housing Authority (NHA) received P49.94 million.
According to the report, P875 million was released to the DSWD and P1 billion to the DPWH to replenish their respective Quick Response Funds (QRF), the DBM said.
The QRF is a stand-by fund for the aid, relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of calamity-affected areas.
A government entity may request replenishment of its QRF if the fund balance dips below 50%.
The DPWH also received P150.47 billion to rehabilitate typhoon damage in Pangasinan and Surigao del Norte.
The Bureau of the Treasury also disbursed P200 million and P26.24 million for typhoon and earthquake damage in Mountain Province, the DBM said.
Some P14.92 million went to support a crop and fishery recovery program in Batangas and P14.34 million to procure rescue equipment in Camiguin.
The DBM also approved the release of a P49.94-million subsidy to the NHA for a resettlement project following a 2022 earthquake.
Around P9.2 billion out of the P22.74 billion in calamity funds remains unreleased, DBM said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
