The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced today that
a total of P93.87 billion has been released from 2013 to 2015 to fund projects
for Typhoon Yolanda-hit communities.
Details of these fund releases and projects are now available on
the DBM website (http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=14137). The data
on the website shows the list of fund releases disaggregated per year and per
implementing agency and another list of fund releases disaggregated per year
and per implementing agency with details, such as Special Allotment Release
Order (SARO), purpose, and fund source.
“The DBM communicates honestly and openly at all times regarding
the fund releases we make pertaining to programs and projects of the
government. Here are the facts on how much public funds we have released for
Yolanda projects so far and where we sourced them in the budget for the years
2013, 2014 and 2015,” said Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad.
“Of the total requirement of P150 billion for rebuilding the
communities hit by Typhoon Yolanda, we have released a total of P93.87 billion
as of October 23, 2015,” the budget chief said.
Abad said these fund releases were charged against various funding
sources in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for fiscal years 2013, 2014 and
2015.
“The scale of the damage is unprecedented. And given that it was
unforeseen, the total amount needed for the reconstruction efforts is not
something that can be accommodated within the Calamity Fund. So we needed to
find various funding sources within the budget,” said Abad, adding that the
government moved to implement various measures to source funds for Yolanda
response.
These measures include: extending the validity of the 2013 Budget
to June 2014 via Joint Resolution No. 1; passing the Supplemental Budget in
2013 and allocating P14.6 billion in Calamity and Quick Response Funds to
rebuild areas hit by Yolanda and other disasters; passing the Supplemental
Budget in 2014 and allocating P10 billion for emergency shelters and permanent
housing; introducing the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Program, with a
total of P21 billion in 2014 and 2015, for rebuilding efforts; doubling the
Calamity Fund, from P7.5 billion in 2013 to P13 billion in 2014 and to P14
billion in 2015; introducing the "Build Back Better" policy not only
to restore normalcy for Yolanda-affected communities but also make them more
resilient to disasters; and leveraging the use of excess revenues to fund
rehabilitation activities.
Abad also said that a total of P46 billion is allocated for
Yolanda projects in the proposed 2016 budget. This amount is composed of P18.9
in Special Purpose Funds and P27.3 billion lodged in agency budgets.
The amount of P18.9 billion is for the Yolanda Rehabilitation and
Reconstruction Program (YRRP), the master plan to build back better
infrastructure, livelihood support, resettlement, and social services.
This amount is part of the P38.9-billion National Disaster Risk Reduction
Management Fund (NDRRMF), a Special Purpose Fund in the 2016 budget.
In addition to the P18.9-billion YRRP, the amount of P25.6 billion
was lodged in the budget of the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the
construction of housing units for Yolanda victims. Meanwhile, the amount of
P992 million was lodged in the budget of the Local Water Utilities
Administration (LWUA) and the amount of P660 million was lodged in the budget
of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for the installation of
water and power lines in Yolanda-hit communities and resettlement sites.
To access the complete fund releases for Yolanda, visit: http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=14137
For inquiries, further
questions and requests for interview, please contact:
OSEC-Public Information
Unit
791 - 2000 local 2602;
0908-869-8170; media@dbm.gov.ph
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