The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P11.8 billion to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the expansion of irrigation across the country, as well as the P500-million Quick Response Fund (QFR).
Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said the latest release, which is part of the NIA’s budget this year, will go to Irrigation Network Services and Locally-funded Projects. The remaining portion of the NIA’s P32.7 billion budget for 2016 will follow once the agency submits the necessary documentary requirements.
Irrigation Network Services—part of the NIA’s mandate—consist of the expansion of existing irrigation systems; the repair, operation, and maintenance of pumping systems; the repair of groundwater systems; irrigation-management support services; the rehabilitation of irrigation works damaged by Supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), and climate-change adaptation works.
Meanwhile, the P500 million corresponds to the appropriation for the QRF under its budget. Abad said this release will cover the requirements of the NIA in addressing the impact of El Niño.
He also said proposed measures to address the impact of El Niño may be funded by the regular budgets of agencies, as long as these measures fall under programs, activities and projects inherent to the agency’s mandate.
“We know that many communities are severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon. Since we are only in the first quarter of the year, we cannot identify yet the budgetary savings to be used for interventions for El Niño. We have advised the NIA, as well as concerned agencies, to maximize their appropriations and to charge their funding requirements for said interventions to existing programs, activities and projects under their budget. Agencies may also use the QRF to serve as standby fund to normalize the condition of peoples and communities in areas under state of calamity,” he said.
Abad said if the regular budget and the QRF are insufficient to fund El Niño-related interventions, agencies may request for the release of additional funds to be charged to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF).