THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Thursday that releases from the 2024 budget hit P5.93 trillion at the end of October, exceeding programmed allocations by P164.08 billion.
In its Status of Allotment Releases report posted on Thursday, the DBM said the releases as of October were 2.84% higher than the P5.768-trillion programmed budget for 2024.
The release rate a year earlier had been 95.8% .
As of the end of October, government departments received P3.44 trillion, while P436.65 billion was released for Special Purpose Funds.
Automatic appropriations released totaled P1.66 trillion, including P70.46 billion for government agencies’ retirement and life insurance premiums, P871.38 billion for the National Tax Allotment, and P70.51 billion for the Block Grant.
The unprogrammed appropriations include the Department of Agriculture’s P17.63 billion, the Department of Public Works and Highways’ P7.42 billion, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) P11.89 billion, and the National Economic and Development Authority’s P3.63 billion.
Some P40.57 billion in unprogrammed appropriations went to strengthening assistance for government infrastructure and social programs. Support to foreign-assisted projects amounted to P123.79 billion.
Meanwhile, calamity funds amounting to P20.34 billion were also released as of Oct. 30, according to the DBM.
Among government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), P450 million was allocated to the National Irrigation Authority, P49.94 million to the National Housing Authority, and P20.2 million to the Local Water Utilities Administration.
In a separate statement, DBM had approved the release of P875 million to replenish the Quick Response Fund of the social welfare department.
As of Oct. 31, the DSWD’s available QRF balance had dipped below the 50% replenishment threshold to 31.87%.
“The requested replenishment is particularly intended for the procurement of various Family Food Packs and Non-Food Items for the stockpiling of relief resources in DSWD warehouses and the implementation of Cash for Work for the families affected by Typhoon Julian in Region I,” the DBM said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante
