Nakatakda raw isulong ng Kamara sa deliberasyon ng bicameral conference committee ang dagdag na P5-billion calamity fund para makabangon ang mga lugar na sinalanta ng nagdaang mga bagyo.
“Given the tremendous damage caused by these successive strong typhoons, it is imperative that we augment the calamity fund in next year’s spending plan. We have to help our people rebuild their lives and their communities,” ani House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco sa isang statement.
Bago ang sunod-sunod na pananalasa nina bagyong Quinta, Rolly, at Ulysses ay naaprubahan na ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang kanilang bersyon ng P4.5-trillion national budget.
Sa ilalim nito, P20-billion ang panukalang alokasyon bilang calamity fund ng susunod na taon. Nahahati ito sa P5-billion ng Marawi City rehabilitation, at P6.25-billion quick response funds ng ilang ahensya.
Kabilang na ang Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, at Office of Civil Defense.
“That’s a total of P11.25 billion that is specifically appropriated, leaving a balance of P8.75 billion President Duterte could use to help victims of calamities and other disasters. That balance is not even enough to rebuild Bicol, which was hardly hit by Typhoon Rolly.”
“Alternatively, we can allocate the additional money in the budgets of the agencies involved in reconstruction and helping typhoon victims.”
