LGUs receives additional P4.85B for Typhoon Odette

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released an additional P4.85 billion to cover the financial assistance of individuals residing in cities and municipalities affected by Typhoon Odette.

The funds shall be distributed to local government units (LGUs) in Region IV-B (P198.21 million), Region VI (P1.63 billion), Region VII (P1.04 billion), Region VIII (P964.10 million), Region X (P156.02 million) and Region XIII (P864.08 million).

With this, affected persons and families are expected to receive assistance equivalent to P1,000 per individual and a maximum of P5,000 per household.

The recipient LGU shall facilitate and determine the most efficient way to immediately provide the assistance to their constituents, subject to close supervision and monitoring of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The individual allocations of the respective cities and municipalities were computed based on the number of affected individuals/households, as recently reported by the DSWD. This was charged from the FY 2021 Unprogrammed Appropriations and shall be recorded as trust receipts which implies that the fund can only be used by the recipient LGU for the provision of assistance to those affected by the damages caused by Typhoon Odette.

The financial assistance will be released directly by the Bureau of the Treasury to the concerned LGU through their respective authorized government servicing banks. Upon receipt of the funds, the recipient LGUs are expected to fully disburse their allotment until December 31, 2022. Otherwise, all unutilized funds after end-December next year will be reverted to the National Treasury by the concerned LGU.

In total, the Department has released P6.85 billion to assist our hard-stricken LGUs, as of December 28, 2021. Moreover, the DBM also recently released P827.18 million to frontline agencies for the replenishment of their respective Quick Response Fund. This brings the overall allotment released for Typhoon Odette to P7.68 billion.

The Department likewise issued Local Budget Circular No. 141 to provide guidelines on the release and utilization of the financial assistance, which may be accessed through the DBM website: https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Issuances/2021/Local-Budget-Circular/LOCAL-BUDGET-CIRCULAR-NO-141.pdf