Gov't spends less on disaster risk reduction, PSA says
In 2022
At A Glance
- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that less funds were spent on disaster risk reduction a year ago, down to P315.89 billion in 2022 from P663.66 billion in 2021.<br>Last year's expenditure for disaster risk reduction contributed 1.4 percent to the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product.<br>Among the four areas of disaster risk reduction, the government spent the most on disaster mitigation in 2022 with a total amount of P107.97 billion.<br>Fewer funds were spent on disaster recovery, which includes relocation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, at P54.29 billion in 2022 from P263.25 billion in 2021.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported a reduction in government spending on disaster risk reduction last year.
Data from the PSA showed that the public expenditure on disaster risk reduction activities amounted to just over P315.89 billion in 2022, a 52 percent decrease from the P663.66 billion spent in 2021.
This figure also represents the lowest expenditure since the upward trend began in 2016.
Last year’s expenditure for disaster risk reduction contributed 1.4 percent to the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP).
Disaster risk reduction is classified by PSA into four thematic areas which are disaster prevention, disaster mitigation, disaster management, and disaster recovery.
The government spent the most on disaster mitigation in 2022 with a total amount of P107.97 billion, an increase of 64.5 percent from P65.63 billion in 2021. It is the highest amount spent in this area since 2015.
PSA defines disaster mitigation as activities and measures that reduce or lessen existing disaster risk or limit the adverse impacts of a hazardous event. These include structural measures and construction, non-structural measures, land-use planning, and early warning systems management.
Meanwhile, over P77.98 billion was spent on disaster prevention in 2022, down 50.4 percent from P157.26 billion in 2021. The highest recorded expenditure was in 2020 amounting to P280.47 billion.
Disaster prevention includes activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster risks, which includes risk prevention for future hazardous events and risk prevention during or after a hazardous event.
Funds for disaster management also dipped to P75.65 billion, down 57.4 percent from P177.52 billion in 2021, which was the highest in record since 2015.
Disaster management is the preparedness, emergency management, emergency supply of commodities, and other disaster responses.
Likewise, expenditure for disaster recovery, which includes relocation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, also decreased by 64.5 percent to P54.29 billion a year ago from P263.25 billion in 2021. This area had the lowest expenditure in 2022 among the other three.