Press Release
November 23, 2020

Resolution re: Unused DSWD Funds
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri

Mr. President, I stand here today on behalf of all our colleagues, appealing to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to release its undisbursed funds of over PHP83 billion to provide assistance to Filipinos recovering from the recent onslaught of typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses, not to mention the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

We have recently learned, during our budget deliberations, that the DSWD has an unexpended amount of PHP75 billion from its regular budget, plus around PHP6.7 billion from the allocations set in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. Imagine, PHP83 billion just lying unspent in the government coffers. For context, the damages from the recent typhoons to our agricultural sector is currently standing at PHP10 billion, per the Department of Agriculture. Imagine what PHP83 billion can do. It will be a mere drop in the bucket for the DSWD to provide urgent financial assistance to affected farmers.

At its peak, our unemployment rates rose to 17.7 percent because of the pandemic--over 7 million unemployed Filipinos at the height of our lockdowns. That statistic has gotten slightly better as our quarantines have eased up a bit, and select employment opportunities have returned, but think of all our public transport drivers, our MSMEs, our service industry workers, who are still struggling and could use some aid. Think of what PHP83 billion can do for them. Here we are, deliberating next year's national budget, pero iyon pong bilyones na budget ng DSWD for this year, 2020, ni hindi pa nga napakikinabangan ng taumbayan. Napakasayang ng pondo, Mr. President. This resolution is a call to action, to make sure na hindi mauuwi sa wala iyong pinasa nating budget.

And so we urge the DSWD to urgently release its funds before the year ends, and ensure that our people are receiving the assistance they need in these desperate times.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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