Budget release rate hits 74.4% in April

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it had released 74.4% of the original budget program for 2026 by the end of April.

According to the Status of Allotment Release report, the releases amounted to P5.42 trillion out of the original budget of P6.79 trillion, leaving P1.37 trillion undistributed.

The release rate at the end of last month was running behind the year-earlier pace of 88.7%.

Releases to government agencies and departments amounted to P2.89 trillion at the end of April, equivalent to 78.7% of their allocations, compared to 93.2% a year earlier.

Special-purpose funds released by the end of the month stood at P376.63 billion, representing 52.4% of the funds allocated.

Meanwhile, automatic appropriation releases were at 89.6%, or P2.15 trillion.

These include the National Tax Allotment of P1.19 trillion, P712.5 billion in interest payments, P93.98 billion for the Block Grant, P82.45 billion for retirement and life insurance premiums, and P36.47 billion for a special account in the general fund which includes the P6 billion allotment for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, among others.

Other releases amounting to P104.99 billion included continuing appropriations from last year worth P12.06 billion, P79.89 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, and other automatic appropriations worth P13.03 billion.

Including the other releases, budget allotment amounted to 81.3% or P5.52 trillion, leaving P1.27 trillion left undistributed. — Justine Irish D. Tabile