By Genalyn Kabiling The government's war chest to address the coronavirus emergency is growing. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 20, 2020. ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ MANILA BULLETIN The government has pooled a total of P246.283 billion savings from various sources for measures to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), President Duterte said in his latest report to Congress. The latest amount is higher compared to the P189.823 billion identified savings reported by the President the previous week. "Out of the total pooled savings of PhP246.283 billion from various sources as of 16 April 2020, P148.933 billion has already been downloaded by the DBM to relevant national government agencies in connection with the government's COVID-19 responses," the President said in the document released by the Palace Monday. He said around P5.690 billion additional allotments and P7.789 billion cash allocations have been released for the existing programs, activities, and projects within the 2020 national budget of national government agencies. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has received P100 billion for the emergency subsidy program while the Department of Labor and Employment received P4 billion for three social protection programs for workers. The Department of Agriculture received P3 billion for its financial subsidy for rice farmers. To augment the budget of local government units for coronavirus response, the DBM has also released the Bayanihan Grant to Provinces (BGP) amounting to P6.197 billion. The amount is equivalent to one half of the one-month international revenue allotment share of the provinces this year. Around P30.8 billion was previously released to cover the funding for the one-time Bayanihan grant to cities and municipalities for its COVID-19 response programs. According to the President, the Bureau of the Treasury has certified that the amount of P100.221 billion, sourced from the excess revenue from the dividend collection of government owned and controlled corporations, is available to fund additional requirements to address the coronavirus situation. "Further, various agencies, GOCCs, and instrumentalities have identified, reallocated, or remitted various amounts from their respective budgets for COVID-19 response measures," Duterte said. He said the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation has also submitted its inventory of real properties that may be considered for COVID-19 programs. The state firm has released its share in taxes to host communities, benefiting six provinces, two cities, 15 municipalities, and 80 barangays. A similar list of properties was earlier given by the Philippine Guarantee Corporation. The President had earlier committed that the government is continuously augmenting its fiscal resources for the country’s coronavirus response measures. As the pandemic continues to claim lives, Duterte had previously said that the government is willing to borrow and sell assets if the funds will run out.