P22.74B allotted for calamity fund
By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter
THE GOVERNMENT is allocating P22.74 billion for its National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
Data from the DBM showed that the government had not yet released any amount from the fund as of end-January.
Last year, the government released P19.74 billion, accounting for 85% of the P23.205-billion allocation.
This year’s calamity fund is 2% lower than last year’s allocation.
In 2023, National Government agencies received P18.05 billion from the fund.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) got the biggest allocation at P11.08 billion.
This was followed by departments of Social Welfare and Development (P5.05 billion), the Agriculture (P1 billion), Transportation (P342.47 million), National Defense (P207.64 million), and Science and Technology (P35.18 million).
The fund is tapped to provide relief and rehabilitation assistance to communities or areas affected by human-induced and natural calamities and other capital expenditure for disaster operations.