The Cebu Provincial Capitol
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Capitol will allocate P220 million of disaster management fund for 2020.
Despite it’s downgrading, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) saw an increase of P23 million in its current appropriation of P197 million.
Read: P200M budget okayed for disaster mgmt body
The budget for the PDRRMO, now a division under the governor’s office, was discussed during the full council meeting of the Provincial Development Council this afternoon, November 21.
The biggest chunk of the disaster fund is allocated from preparedness programs at P108 million, followed by the response fund of P66.12 million or 30 percent of the budget.
Read: Martinez ‘wary’ of PDRRMO downgrading
The Prevention and Mitigation item has an allocation of P37.25 million or 16.9 percent of the budget. In 2019, this area was allocated with the highest budget in the disaster fund with P96 million.
The amount was programmed to fund studies on climate change, impact on agriculture and fisheries, best practices in disaster management, training programs for land use, planning, climate-smart development initiatives, and purchase of equipment.
Rehabilitation and recovery got the smallest chunk of the disaster fund at P8.5 million.
Last August 2019, the Provincial Board has approved the reorganization ordinance which downgraded the PDRRMO and three other departments as divisions under the Provincial Governor’s Office.
Read: Gwen eyes P186 million annual savings with planned downgrading of four departments
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the move was in order for the province to save P186 million in wages annually.
Garcia said the amount could be used in various other projects.
The PDRRMO budget is part of the P12 billion for 2020 executive budget which Garcia endorsed to the PB. The budget ordinance is set for the second reading on Monday, November 25./dbs