P6.8 B for Taal relief operations bared

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 09:05:23 +0000

First-responder government agencies have around P6.8 billion for disaster response in this year’s national budget that can be tapped for the Taal Volcano relief efforts, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado revealed last Tuesday.

At the Taal situation briefing attended by President Duterte in Batangas City, Avisado said the national government has “more than enough” funds to cover the latest relief efforts for people affected by Taal Volcano’s restiveness.

“We are assured that the government has more than enough funds. I say more than enough because we are still beginning the 2020 national budget utilization,” he said.

Based on the 2020 budget, Avisado said Department of Education has an allocation of P2.1 billion; Department of Agriculture, P1.5 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P1.25 billion; Department of Public Works and Highways, P1 billion; Department of Health, P600 million; Department of National Defense, P250 million; and National Electrification Administration, P100 million.