2025 calamity-fund releases top P21 billion

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it released more than P21 billion in calamity funds in 2025 to support rehabilitation projects after multiple typhoons hit the country.

Citing status update for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, the DBM reported that P21.68 billion in calamity funds had been released by the end of December.

Still to be disbursed are P322 million from the People’s Survival Fund.

At the end of November, P20.04 billion had been distributed to government agencies and P500 million to government-owned and -controlled corporations.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development received P11.21 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, with P5.76 billion, and the Department of Agriculture P1 billion.

In addition, P731.16 million was released to the Department of Science and Technology, P603.20 million to the Department of National Defense, and P150 million to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Aside from the quick response fund top-ups for various agencies, most of the approved projects involved allocations for the repair and rehabilitation of facilities damaged by past typhoons, including Egay, Carina, and the severe tropical storm Kristine.

The Philippines was the world’s most disaster-prone nation for a 21st straight year, according to the 2025 WorldRiskIndex. It is visited by about 20 tropical storms each year. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante