Noy seeks P3.89 B for Zambo rehabilitation

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allocate P3.89 billion for the relief and rehabilitation of communities in conflict-riven Zamboanga City.

In a statement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the amount is based on the estimates of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for relief operations, as well as education, shelter and livelihood assistance to families in the area.

“President Aquino has personally attended to the situation in Zamboanga to ensure that peace and security are immediately restored in the city,” read the statement.

“The administration’s efforts to bring back order in Zamboanga include the provision of relief aid for displaced or affected families, as well as the implementation of rehabilitation activities that will help the communities recover from the recent conflict.” 

Abad said the money will come from the 2013 Contingency and Calamity Funds with remaining balances of P1.2 billion and P4.9 billion.

“By their very design, the Contingency and Calamity Funds should support relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction activities, and other services in connection with situations that require urgent action,” he said.

“In Zamboanga’s case, we’re seeing a crisis resulting from armed conflict, so it’s even more crucial for us to tap these funds and deliver assistance to the communities as swiftly as possible.” 

The bulk or P2.125 billion of the P3.89 billion will be used for shelter assistance for 21,252 families, while P797.25 million will be used for the construction of bunk houses for transitional shelter.

Part or P285.017 million of the budget will be used for operational and project management requirements, another P212.52 million for livelihood assistance, and P178.455 million for continuing relief assistance.

The government will also provide P149.902 million as cash for work, a program in which beneficiaries receive the prevailing regional wage rate in exchange for doing community projects.   – Kathleen Martin, Roel Pareño, John Unson