Drilon: Enough allocations in 2014 budget for post-Ruby relief efforts

There are enough allocations in the 2014 General Appropriations Act for the government to respond to the need for relief and rehabilitation in the wake of Typhoon Ruby, Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday.

Drilon made the remark in response to the suggestion that the executive branch might need another supplemental budget after the most recent typhoon hit Eastern Visayas and nearby regions.
 

“Hindi ko alam kung kailangan pa nila ng authority. I think there is enough authority in the 2014 budget. We also passed a supplemental budget last year. And then 2015 is about to come in, the General Appropriations Act of 2015 should have authorizations also for calamity funds,” Drilon told reporters.

 

“In fact, the reason why we did not meet our GDP (gross domestic product) goals, is due to the underspending of the government. There is enough authorization. Meron pong budget yan,” he added.

 

He said that if the government will be asking for supplemental budget, it would have to be submitted first to the House of Representatives. 

 

“The supplemental budget is an appropriation measure, which goes to the House. Wala sa amin, at wala pang pinadala. But if one is ever submitted, it will go to the House first,” he said. 

 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the damage to property due to Ruby was estimated at P1,040,396,587, covering agricultural damage alone in Bicol and Western and Eastern Visayas.

 

A total of 456,386 families or 2,086,562 people were also affected with at least three fatalities.

 

Meanwhile, Drilon said the Senate couldn't work on the supplemental budget earlier asked by Malacanang for Typhoon Yolanda and Asia-Pacific Economic Conference preparations as it is still being deliberated in the House.

 

“The supplemental budget is still in the House. We can’t work on that until they have passed that,” he said. —NB, GMA News