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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DA called out for 'slow' quick response fund in House budget hearing

DA called out for 'slow' quick response fund in House budget hearing

Published Sep 15, 2025 11:31 pm

At A Glance

  • House Committee on Appropriations chairperson, Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing has called out the Department of Agriculture (DA) over its supposed slow utilization of its quick response fund (QRF).
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel (Facebook)
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel (Facebook)


House Committee on Appropriations chairperson, Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing has called out the Department of Agriculture (DA) over its supposed slow utilization of its quick response fund (QRF).
This took place during DA's budget hearing before the appropriations panel on Monday, Sept. 15.
In the hearing, Suansing quizzed DA Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel regarding the utilization rate of the QRF last year.
"Yung 2024 if I remember correctly madam chair is tuwing tinatamaan tayo ng bagyo, doon basically ginagamit yan. For seeds, fertilizers, and pang recovery. It really depends eh. But it's really reserved for calamities lang talaga, madam chair," Tiu-Laurel told the panel.
(In 2024, if I remember correctly madam chair, we basically use it whenever we were hit by typhoons. For seeds, fertilizers, and for the recovery of typhoon-hit areas. It really depends. But it's really reserved for calamities only, madam chair.)
Suansing responded by sharing her and her colleagues' supposed frustrations with the agency over the QRF.
"I'm keen to know the actual utilization rate of the QRF. Ang dami po kasing feedback from our colleagues here in the House na hindi namin ma-access yung QRF at all. Like kahit lumapit na kami sa mga RD namin, sa certal office, hindi po kami nabibigyan ng QRF," she said.
(There’s a lot of feedback from our colleagues here in the House that we can’t access the QRF at all. Like, even when we approach our RDs or the central office, we’re not given the QRF.)
"Definitely nawawala yung 'Q', hindi talaga quick kung ma-release man at all (Definitely the 'Q' is missing, it’s not really quick, even if it gets released at all)," Suansing said, with a tinge of sarcasm.
The lady solon cited a "personal experience" wherein she failed to get even a single cent of QRF despite the P1-billion damage to property that was caused by typhoon "Carding" in her district.
DA Undersecretary for Finance Nora Oliveros later told the committee that as of Dec. 31, 2024, the obligation rate of the agency’s P1-billion QRF was at 54.57 percent, while the disbursement rate was at 41.2 percent.
Suansing was shocked by the relatively low usage of the QRF despite the losses last year in terms of crops and livestock, no thanks to typhoons.
"May problema po talaga sa QRF and na patunayan po yun ng 54 percent utilization lang ng QRF. Andami po kasi ang pinagdadahanan, ang mayayari po hindi na talaga siya naging quick response fund.
(There really is a problem with the QRF, and that’s proven by the fact that only 54 percent of the QRF has been utilized. There are so many hurdles, and what’s happening is that it’s no longer functioning as a quick response fund.)
"Actually hindi na nga lang po hinahabol namin yung quick, hindi na talaga na re-release in most cases….So, secretary if we may please ask the assurance of the DA na silipin po yung guidelines nung quick response fund para siguraduhin na makatulong po dung sa mga natatamaan ng calamidad," said the congresswoman from Harvard.
(Actually, we’re no longer even chasing the quick part? it’s just not being released in most cases… So, secretary, if we may please ask for the assurance from the DA to review the guidelines of the quick response fund to ensure that it truly helps those affected by calamities.)
To this, Tiu said: "Madam chair, I will personally look into this immediately and we'll make sure na magamit na ng maayos at mabilis."
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