Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 27) — The government has released some ₱245 billion in savings from canceled programs and special purpose funds for its COVID-19 response, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed in his fifth report to Congress on the administration’s efforts to address the crisis.
The bulk of the funding, around ₱196 billion, went to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which is spearheading the distribution of cash aid to some 18 million poor families to cushion the impact of quarantine measures.
As of April 24, Duterte said in his report that only 6.27 million of the target 18 million families have received cash aid from the government, leaving some 65 percent of the target beneficiaries still without financial relief more than a month since the enactment of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law.
The DSWD said it has already disbursed ₱96.85 billion for cash aid. It had earlier entered into agreements with local government units to fast track the distribution of assistance to indigent families.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Monday that local government units, who are now at the frontlines of the distribution of cash aid, have until April 30 to do so, or face charges.
After the DSWD, local government units received the next biggest chunk of government savings realigned for efforts against COVID-19, receiving a total of ₱36.91 billion from the so-called Bayanihan Grant.
The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, obtained the third-largest cash allocation, with ₱8.5 billion.
The Department of Health also received a ₱1.8-billion cash allocation from the pooled savings, while the Department of Labor and Employment got ₱1.5 billion from the same funding source.
The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines also received an additional cash allocation of ₱93.1 million and ₱150.7 million, respectively.
Cash allocations amounting to ₱10.44 billion have also been released from existing programs, projects and activities of various departments, with the DOLE getting the biggest share of the realigned funds at ₱5.07 billion.
It was followed by the DSWD which received a ₱3.9-billion cash allocation, the DOH with ₱600 million, the DILG with ₱520 million, and the Department of National Defense with ₱230 million.
In his previous addresses to the public, Duterte lamented how the battle against COVID-19 has drained the government of cash. He even floated the possibility of selling government assets to generate more funds.
In his two previous reports to Congress, Duterte said the Philippine Guarantee Corporation and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation have both submitted inventories of its real properties which may be used for COVID-19 projects, programs and activities.
In a taped briefing aired Friday, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado admitted that the government has already spent ₱352 billion of the ₱397 billion which can be realigned for the government’s COVID-19 response.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, however, said that the country’s needs are currently being financed through loans from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank amounting to ₱310 billion.
The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act allows Duterte to reshuffle funding within the executive department towards the government’s efforts against the disease.
The same law also requires him to submit to Congress a weekly report on how he has so far utilized these powers and the government’s response to the pandemic.
