House Deputy Speaker and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab has suggested tapping the remaining Quick Response Fund (QRF) of various national government agencies to help raise the P10 billion fund promised by President Duterte as assistance to those affected by Typhoon "Odette."
Ungab in a statement said the money that will be taken from the remaining QRFs can be used for reconstruction and rehabilitation of houses or areas destroyed by "Odette."
The money can also be used for "pre-positioning of goods and equipment needed to give relief and assistance to the calamity victims," he added.
Ungab said under the 2021 General Appropriations Act, the following departments received QRFs:
• Department of Agriculture-Office of the Secretary (OSEC): P1 billion
• Dept. of Education: P2 billion
• Dept. of Health-OSEC: P520 million
• Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bureau of Fire Protection: P50 million
• DILG-Bureau of Jail Management and Penology: P50 million
• Dept. of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense: P500 million
• Dept. of Public Works and Highways-OSEC: P1 billion
• Dept. of Social Welfare and Development-OSEC: P1.25 billion
"If there are funds still available from these QRFs, which can only be determined by the said agencies, they can immediately utilize these QRFs or request the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) to augment these funds in order for them to quickly respond to the pressing needs of the disaster-stricken areas," Ungab said.
The lawmaker also noted that President Duterte can immediately utilize any available balance from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), otherwise known as the Calamity Fund under the 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA), for the areas hit by Odette.
Citing Article VI, Section 25 of the Constitution, Ungab, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations in the 16th and 18th Congress, said the President is authorized to declare and use savings to augment deficiencies in other items of the general appropriations law.
He said if there are savings from the agencies’ budget under the 2021 GAA, the President could readily realign these savings for calamity response and rehabilitation activities.
Ungab also noted that once the President signs the 2022 GAA, he can already release any amount from the NDRRMF, with an appropriation of P20 billion at the start of the year for those affected by "Odette."