President Ferdinand Marcos said he will ask Congress to replenish the fast dwindling Quick Response Fund (QRF) of some government agencies.
During a situation briefing in Bogo City in Cebu after it was hit by a magnitude-6.9 quake earlier this week, the chief executive said the additional QRF will ensure the government will be ready for disasters this year.
He said the quake, which struck Cebu, as well as tropical cyclones Nando and Opong(international name: Bualoi) has led to government agencies to use a considerable portion of their QRFs.
Aside from Cebu, the President also visited Masbate, which also suffered heavy damage from Opong to also lead in government relief operations in the island province.
‘I will be going to Congress because after the – coming from Masbate, coming from Cebu, I will be going to the Congress, the House and the Senate, I will ask-so they can give more emergency funds,’ Marcos said in Filipino.
He said he already instructed Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman to make the necessary preparations for the fund request to Congress.
‘I spoke to Sec. Menah already yesterday and this morning and she’s making all of those arrangements,’ the President said.
He has yet to disclose how much funding DBM will request from Congress for the QRF replenishment.
Under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the government has allocated P7.73 billion for the QRF, which is included in the National Risk Reduction and Management Fund or also known as Calamity Fund.
The QRF was distributed to the following agencies: Department of Agriculture (P1 billion); Department of Education (P3 billion); Department of Health (P500 million); Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bureau of Fire Protection (P50 million); DILG-Philippine National Police (P50 million); Department of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense (P500 million); Department of Public Works and Highways (P1 billion); Department of Social Welfare and Development (P1.25 billion); and Department of Transportation (P75 million).
The QRF for Budgetary Support for Government Corporations was pegged at P300 million.
Last week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the country is expected to be hit by 5 to 9 more tropical cyclones before the end of the year.