Only P16B allotted for calamity fund from P4.1-T national budget

Despite being hit by calamities every year, Congress allocated only P16 billion for calamity fund from the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020.

In an interview on Stand for Truth, Ibon Foundation spokesperson Casey Salamanca said the budget was further divided among several items.

"Pag tiningnan natin 'yung calamity fund, hindi lahat ng P16 billion na iyon maa-allocate. P3.5 billion pesos ay allotted para sa rehabilitation ng Marawi, at yung P5 billion pesos ay allotted naman para sa rehabilitation nung naapektuhan ng lindol," Salamanca said.

"So P7.5 billion lang yung para sa taong ito ang magagamit natin," she added.

However, the Department of Budget and Management assured that the fund is enough.

"Aside from the P16 billion, nagpasa ang Kongreso kasi ng extension ng appropriation last year, nung 2019, and as a result meron pang balensa na pwede pang gamitin for the purpose of this calamity, itong Taal. Ang balanse noon is P3 billion pa," Budget Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie Canda said.

Watch the video to know more. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News