P39.8 Billion for Disasters: Government Nearly Doubles Calamity Fund for 2026
The national government is putting its money where the storms are — earmarking a whopping P39.8 billion in calamity funds for 2026, a massive 90 percent jump from last year’s P21 billion allocation.
House Minority Leader and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan broke down the numbers on Sunday: P15.3 billion goes to the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program for LGUs, P12.5 billion for repair and reconstruction of permanent structures including pre-disaster operations, P11 billion for aid, relief, and rehabilitation services for affected communities, and P1 billion for adaptation projects under the People’s Survival Fund.
The funds cover a wide range of emergencies — not just typhoons and earthquakes, but also epidemics declared by the DOH, crises from armed conflicts, insurgency, terrorism, and other catastrophes. Basically, whatever disaster hits, may pondo na.
Libanan pointed out what every Filipino already knows: the Philippines sits right in the path of Pacific storms and straddles the Ring of Fire, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries on the planet. The near-doubling of the fund reflects just how serious the government is taking disaster preparedness this year.
With climate change making weather patterns more unpredictable and destructive, the bigger calamity fund is a welcome move. The question now is whether the money will be spent efficiently and reach the communities that need it most when disaster strikes.
Source: The Manila Times
