Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad on Monday said the Aquino administration has prioritized climate-change adaptation and mitigation in the 2015 national budget by allocating P65 billion for flood control and rehabilitation projects for typhoon devastated communities.
Malacañang has approved a P2.606-trillion national budget for 2015 last month with huge allocation for rebuilding communities affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda.
Abad said the government is allocating P47.3 budget to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) specifically for the flood control programs.
“This is among the investments that support the shift to the proactive approach rooted on the prevention and preparedness,” Abad said in the 2015 national budget briefer.
The Philippines is still in the recovery phase following the massive devastation wrought by Yolanda in November 2013 in the Visayas. Government agencies have admitted that not all typhoon-devastated communities in the Visayas have been rehabilitated fully with alternative housing for the affected communities.
Abad said the government has also allocated P21.7 billion to various agencies to allow vulnerable communities to respond effectively to various natural calamities.
He said that of the P21.7 billion, the government has allocated P14 billion to the National Disaster Risk Management Fund.
At the same time, key agencies are given specific allocation from the P6.7 billion under the Quick Response Funds to allow them to step up programs during national calamities and disasters. The specific funds to these agencies also allow these agencies to act on their own programs without waiting for the release of budget from the national government.
Abad said the Aquino administration has allocated an additional P1 billion to the P10.1-billion Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund for the Yolanda- affected communities from the 2015 supplemental budget.
As of December last year, Abad said a total of P12.6 billion in balances were recorded in 2014 budget for the reconstruction and rehabilitation.