CALAMITY FUNDS | Duterte urged to release funds for disaster response in Odette-hit areas

December 20, 2021 , 08:28 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(December 20, 2021) – A minority senator on Monday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to release funds for the rescue and relief operations in areas hit by Typhoon Odette, doubting the president’s claim the country has run out of funds.

Risa Hontiveros, who is seeking reelection next year, said the government should have had funds set aside for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and related agencies, given that the Philippines expect typhoons to come every year. She said it is “unacceptable” the government has ran out of funds.

“[Declaring state of calamity] is one option, but whatever he calls it, whatever term he uses in the declaration, the important thing is i-authorize ni presidente ang paglabas ng mga pondo for a sufficient and quick rescue and relief operation in the whole area affected by Odette,” Hontiveros said on BusinessWorld Live.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Odette, which caused widespread destruction of homes and properties along its path, killing more than 200 and displacing over a million in Visayas and northern Mindanao, Duterte claimed that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has depleted the nation’s funds.

“Alam mo, depleted na yung budget natin immensely because of the COVID,” Duterte said during an NDRRMC briefing on Friday. “Naubos na talaga yung pera natin. We prioritized the expenses. These typhoons, the imponderables as we say, they would come, they would not come. But itong COVID, naubos ang pera natin.”

Progressive lawmakers and analysts disputed this statement, noting that the government heavily relied on loans for the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic response, leaving them with plenty of money to spare for disaster response.

“It’s totally unacceptable for the President to say na wala na sila magagagastos para sa Odette response dahil naubos na daw sa pandemic response,” Hontiveros said.

Sonny Africa, executive director of economic think tank IBON Foundation, explained that the government earned P2.5 trillion and borrowed P2.8 trillion, while spending P4 trillion since the start of the year. This leaves the government with P1.3 trillion still in cash.

Zy-za Suzara, a former Budget Department staff, also noted that the Budget Department should have P6.5 billion left in calamity funds for 2020 and 2021.

“This is why I find Duterte’s statement extremely irresponsible. It is baseless. In times of crisis, a leader should know the budget and what can be done with it. It will fuel emergency relief and response,” Suzara said on Twitter.

Hontiveros questioned how the government could possibly run out of funds when the Philippines is the highest borrower of pandemic funds, citing the World Bank, yet the country’s health and economic response is still lacking.

“Taon-taon naman nag-appropriate kami ng pondo, and we know we will be visited by tens of typhoons each year,” she said. “So talagang hindi pwede na ang pinakamataas na opisyal natin or our national government will say wala nang budget. Meron yan, kailangan i-mobilize.”

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