AS part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to prioritize the safety and welfare of the Filipinos amid weather disturbances that hit the country, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released a total of 1.625 billion to replenish the Quick Response Funds (QRFs) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
For the DSWD, a total of P625 million has been released to replenish their FY 2025 QRF. The amount is primarily intended for the procurement of Family Food Packs (FFPs) and non-food items (NFIs) for the stockpiling of relief resources. It will allow the DSWD to provide 510,745 families affected by disasters.
Meanwhile, a total of P1 billion has been released to the DPWH to cover the 2nd replenishment of its built-in QRF.
“Sinusunod po natin ‘yung utos ng Pangulo na gawing prayoridad ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng mga kababayan nating nasalanta ng sunud-sunod na bagyo at mga pagbaha. Ang DSWD at DPWH po, kasama po ‘yan sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno na may built-in QRFs para masiguro na agad silang makatutugon sa oras ng kalamidad. Now, they’ve requested to have their QRFs replenished, so we released a total of P1.625 billion to both agencies,” DBM Secretary Mina Pangandaman said.
“Naiintindihan po namin kung gaano kahalaga na may sapat na pondo ang mga ahensyang ito para rumesponde at bigyang tulong ‘yung mga nangangailangan. Kami naman po sa DBM, basta’t kumpleto ang mga dokumentong isina-submit, agad po nating inaaksyunan ‘yan,” Sec. Mina added.
The amount shall be used for reconstruction and rehabilitation programs, activities or projects, including the pre-positioning of goods and equipment in communities or areas stricken by calamities, which occurred in the last quarter of the immediately preceding year and those occurring during the current year so that that the living conditions of those affected may be normalized as quickly as possible.
The QRF serves as a stand-by fund for relief and recovery programs in order that the situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics or complex emergencies may be normalized as quickly as possible. Concerned agencies may request replenishment from the DBM when the balance of the QRF has reached fifty-percent (50%).
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