Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad has approved the release of P592 million to fund various rehabilitation projects in regions still recovering from the damages of previous typhoons Mario (international code name Fung-wong) and Luis (international code name Kalmaegi) that hit the country in September 2014.
The funds will be released to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to support rehabilitation efforts in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Abad said there are still communities that were affected by previous calamities like typhoons Mario and Luis that need to improve livelihood prospects and to minimize future damages as part of the government’s so-called build back better policy.
Luis hit the Philippines on September 14, 2014. This was followed by Mario, which hit the Philippines on September 19 of the same year.
The funds will be covered by the 2015 national budget. Of the total amount, P326 million will be used for cash/food for work activities for some 171,381 families.
At the same time, P131 million of the fund will be allocated for the damaged houses of some 3,874 families and partially damaged houses of some 18,433 families under the emergency shelter assistance program. At least P107 million will be allocated to build permanent shelter for some 1,522 families.
Abad said those affected by Mario will get the bulk of the fund assistance worth P529 million and the remaining P63 million will be allocated for families affected by Luis. Of the amount allotted to the Mario programs, a big chunk of the P529-million release was given to Region 1, which got P544 million, or 92 percent, of the total amount.
Abad stated, “Given that our country is prone to disasters like typhoons, we need to provide projects that not only help our people recover from the aftermath but also prepare them for future calamities. This is to ensure that their lives will experience minimal disruptions as much as possible during future disasters.”
He said the P592-million release is part of the P14.0-billion Natural Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM) Fund under the fiscal year 2015 budget. The NDRRM Fund is supposed to be used by the national government and its departments, agencies and bureaus, and local government units for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and other works or services in connection with the occurrence of natural calamities and other disasters.
Estrella Torres