OCD confident relief funds will be sufficient

Office of Civil Defense administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno on Friday expressed confidence that the funds intended for relief operations would still be sufficient amid the successive tropical cyclones in the country.

At a Palace press briefing, Nepomuceno was asked if future operations will be affected after President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. disclosed that the Quick Response Fund has been depleted.

Nepomuceno said the President has already committed to replenishing the funds.

''Technically kulang na iyong QRF ng mga agencies. At paubos na rin iyong calamity fund, iyong NDRRM fund natin ano, which is lodged, final approval diyan ang Office of the President,'' Nepomuceno said at a Palace press briefing.

''However, we got of course the commitment from the President himself, that they replenish this. So, theoretically, hindi tayo magkukulang doon sa pangangailangan nating pondo, dahil ibibigay naman iyan ng [we won't be lacking much needed funds since such will be provided by the] Office of the President. And President Bongbong, already mentioned that, they will replenish,'' he added.

Under the General Appropriations Act of 2024, the national government has funds available under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) and the Quick Response Fund (QRF) to provide various disaster relief operations.

The QRF was allocated P7.925 billion under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA). Of that amount, P1 billion was allotted for the Department of Agriculture - Office of the Secretary. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News