AN opposition lawmaker on Wednesday demanded the Aquino administration account for the billions of pesos in calamity funds that was allocated for Cotabato province to aid farmers and help them cope with the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said the province of Cotabato has been allocated at least P321 million in calamity funds for 2016 and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund (LDRRMF), which consists of not less than five percent of its Internal Revenue Allotment, and can only be used upon declaration of state of calamity by the local legislative body.
“Also North Cotabato has an allocation of P6.4 billion for 2016 from the National Budget and a State of Calamity was declared in the province in January this year mandating the Provincial Government to allot P321 million as Calamity Fund. Now where is all these money?” Colmenares asked.
Colmenares demanded both national and local government concerned to account for the billions of peso fund that should have been enjoyed by the farmers in helping them cope with the effects of the drought and prevented the violence inflicted on prosteting farmers last April 1.
“The farmers’ demand in the Kidapawan barricade is only 15,000 sacks of rice which would amount to only P27 million if multiplied by an estimated price of P1,600 for a 50-kg sack of rice,” Colmenares stressed.
He said it was totally deplorable that the farmers were deprived of their rights when billions of peso fund have been allocated by the government for them being the affected sector of the El Niño.
“Aside from the LDRRMF, there are other sources of funds that can quickly respond to the needs caused by calamities. There is the Quick Response Fund allocated to certain agencies and of course the lump sum Calamity Fund under the care of the NDRRMC,” Colmenares said.
QRFs are built-in budgetary allocations that represent pre-disaster or standby funds for agencies in order to immediately assist areas stricken by catastrophes and crises. The Department of Agriculture is one among the agencies with a QRF allocation.
The calamity fund is a lump sum fund appropriated under the national budget to cover aid, relief, and rehabilitation services to areas affected by calamities, repair and reconstruction of permanent structures, including capital expenditures for pre-disaster operations and rehabilitation.
Unlike the calamity fund, the QRF does not require the recommendation of the NDRRMC or the approval of OP to trigger the use and release of funds.
When the QRF gets depleted, the agency may request for replenishment with a request to the DBM and to be approved by the Office of the President.