P4.413B of COVID-19 funds under Bayanihan 2 released so far —DBM

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has so far released more than P4 billion worth of funds to various government agencies for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

“The DBM assures the Filipino people that it provides sufficient attention to the release of funds pursuant to Republic Act No. 11494 or the ‘Bayanihan to Recover as One Act’,” the Budget department said.

It said that out of the P140-billion worth of COVID-19 related interventions, the DBM has already released allotments amounting to P4.413 billion pesos to the following agencies:

“These releases were charged against the certified amount of the Bureau of the Treasury pursuant to Section 4(ss) of RA No. 11494,” the DBM said.

Meanwhile, the release of funds for the following departments or agencies were already recommended to the Office of the President (OP):

“The approval from OP was sought considering that the funding source will be the balance of pooled savings under RA No. 11469 (Bayanihan 1) consistent with Section 11 of RA No. 11494 and that the authority to use savings was granted by Congress to the President of the Philippines,” the Budget department noted.

“The corresponding Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) will be released as soon as we receive the pertinent OP approvals,” it said.

As to the remaining balance of the allocated amounts, the DBM said it expects the respective agencies to submit their corresponding budget requests, outlining the specific items of expenditures, targeted beneficiaries and expected outputs consistent with existing budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations and reflected through their respective Budget Execution Documents and Disbursement Programs. 

“As soon as these requests are received, the DBM will immediately evaluate the same to ensure their alignment with the intention of RA No. 11494 and will recommend to the President the release of funds charged against the identified funding sources,” it said.

The Budget department said it is in close coordination with the Bureau of the Treasury to ensure that the funding sources identified under RA No. 11494 are readily available to support the allotments that it will issue to the respective departments or agencies. 

“All allotments released pursuant to RA No. 11494 will be appropriately reported to Congress and the Commission on Audit, as well as to the general public through the DBM website,” the DBM said.

On Sept. 11, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday signed the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayahinan 2) which provides a COVID-19 relief package worth P165.5 billion.

Bayanihan 2 succeeded the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1), which expired on June 24. 

Malacañang said the Duterte administration will submit to Congress a report every month on how the P165.5-billion COVID-19 stimulus package was utilized. 

The Palace also said on Tuesday funds meant for the implementation of COVID-19 measures under Bayanihan 2 can be spent beyond the law’s expiration in December. 

This came after Senators Ralph Recto and Franklin Drilon lamented the slow release of funds intended for the agriculture and tourism sectors. Recto even broached the idea of extending the validity of Bayanihan 2, which expires on December 19. —KG, GMA News