P1.65 billion lang ang na-allocate ng House Appropriations Committee dahil iyon lang din ang na-certify ng Bureau of Treasury na available na pwede gamitin for this purpose.
Since DOH is requesting for an additional P3.1 billion (2.035 Billion for personal protective equipment, 933 million for Bureau of Quarantine, 139 million for RITM), additional funds may be raised from other sources.
I mentioned last Monday that I personally spoke to PAGCOR Chair Andrea Domingo and she said that they can provide additional funding amounting to P2 billion. P420 million from PCSO will also be allocated based on a proclamation to be issued by the President. There is also around P539 million in DOH savings and P81 million from the DOH Quick Response Fund that can be utilized. Adding all these together, we have a total of roughly P4.6 billion to help DOH and concerned agencies respond to the needs of our people amid the COVID-19 situation.
Maliban dito, mayroon ring pondo pa na Contingency Fund at National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund na pwedeng maging standby source, kung kinakailangan.
Since the President has declared a State of Public Health Emergency, all available resources of the government will be utilized properly and efficiently to respond to this crisis and ensure the safety of all Filipinos. Additionally, the declaration allows the LGUs to utilize their local disaster risk reduction management funds (LDRRMF) under RA 10121.
As a Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, sisiguraduhin ko na ginagawa ng mga opisyal at mga ahensya ng gobyerno ang kanilang tungkulin na mapangalagaan ang kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino. Sisiguraduhin rin natin na kahit piso mula sa kaban ng bayan ay hindi masasayang.
SENATOR BONG GO
