The 27 billion in disaster response-related funds allotted in the 2022 National Budget can be used to aid millions of victims of Super Typhoon Odette. 

According to Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, the people in Mindanao affected by the recent super typhoon are still waiting for government assistance.

“We should help them rebuild their homes, livelihood, their communities, and their lives,” the representative of Cagayan de Oro’s second district said.

The Deputy Speaker emphasized that in the 2022 national budget, there is also a 7 billion contingency fund that can also be utilized by the government in helping the victims of typhoon Odette. 

Another source is the P20-billion national disaster risk reduction and management fund, he added.

“The President promised to give 10 million to the communities devastated by the recent super typhoon,” Rodriguez recalled. 

Only part of that has been released and taken from the 2021 budget because the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) was waiting for the 2022 outlay to be signed by the President, he said.

Since the budget has already been signed by the President, Rodriguez said that the DBM should disburse the additional funds this coming Monday. 

Rodriguez noted that aside from the 10 billion funds promised by the President, the communities affected by the typhoon required billions for reconstruction. 

He noted that the Department of Agriculture has estimated damage to farming areas at more than P8 billion, while the Department of Education has calculated at P3.4 billion the cost of rebuilding destroyed school buildings.

“Government agencies have their own disaster response-linked funds in their respective budgets. They should use these to help our people in Mindanao, Visayas and Southern Luzon,” the House leader said.

Photo Credit: Facebook/RufusBRodriguez