“These funds exist for emergencies like this. The government’s failure to release them quickly and transparently is costing lives and livelihood.”

BULACAN — The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) is calling for transparency and accountability in the use of calamity funds following the severe flooding brought about by recent heavy rains due to at least two typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat. 

Despite billions of pesos allocated annually, the group criticized persistent delays, underutilization, and lack of public disclosure. KMP stressed that poor communities continue to suffer the most while receiving minimal support.

KMP slammed the slow and opaque disbursement of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), also known as the calamity fund, saying that it undermines timely relief and recovery efforts during disasters.

“These funds are intended for rapid relief and rehabilitation but have often been marred by bureaucratic corruption, underutilization, and lack of public tracking,” KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos said in a statement.

States of calamity have been declared across Metro Manila, Cavite, Pampanga, Pangasinan, parts of Bulacan, and other provinces due to severe flooding caused by continuous rains, high tide, and dam water releases. In Pangasinan alone, more than 1,700 homes were submerged, leading to widespread disruption of transportation, livelihood, and essential services.

“These funds exist for emergencies like this. The government’s failure to release them quickly and transparently is costing lives and livelihood,” Ramos added.

During times of calamity, the farmers, fishers, and rural poor are most affected and they deserve to know how public funds are spent and where their money goes, the KMP stressed.

Citing government data, KMP said billions of pesos from the calamity fund remained unused between 2019 and 2024 despite the increasing occurrence of climate-related disasters. Annual allocations during this period ranged from P16 billion (approximately $288 million) to P22.7 billion (approximately $408.6 million).

In 2022, only P13.1 billion (approximately $235.8 million) of the P20 billion (approximately $360 million) fund had been released by November.

Last year, nearly half of the P22.736 billion (approximately $409.25 million) allocation remained unspent by midyear. Although the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) later claimed that P22.48 billion (approximately $404.64 million) had been disbursed by year-end, no detailed breakdown was made public.

For 2025, the calamity fund was approved at P21 billion (approximately $378 million), slightly lower than the previous year. 

Agencies may, after a typhoon and upon completion of damage assessment and a recommendation from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), request access to the NDRRMF. 

The 2025 GAA allocated P31 billion (approximately $558 million) to the NDRRMF. This includes P16.285 billion (approximately $293.13 million) for maintenance and operations such as financial assistance and subsidies, and P14.715 billion (approximately $264.87 million) for capital outlays including reconstruction, pre-disaster efforts, and rehabilitation. 

Quick Response Funds (QRFs) amounting to P7.725 billion (approximately $139 million) were also allocated to agencies such as the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Education (DepEd), Health (DOH), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

“Despite billions allocated annually, the same issues persist: late disbursement, lack of transparency, and questionable prioritization,” KMP said.

As of mid-2025, only a small portion of the government’s P21 billion ($378 million) calamity fund had been released, with around P2.39 billion ($43 million) distributed to agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways, Social Welfare and Development, and National Defense. In July, an additional P625 million ($11.25 million) was given to the DSWD to restock its emergency fund.

For 2024, just over P11 billion ($202 million) had been spent from the P22.7 billion ($409 million) budget. Despite these releases, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) is urging the government to be transparent by publicly disclosing detailed breakdowns of how calamity funds and emergency reserves were used in 2024 and 2025. The group stressed that the current data remains fragmented and lacking in transparency.

Separate from the central calamity fund, various government agencies also receive QRFs to enable immediate disaster response. For instance, the DepEd was allocated P3 billion (approximately $54 million), while the DSWD received P1.25 billion (approximately $22.5 million). Other agencies, including the DA, DPWH, DOH, and OCD, received QRFs ranging from P500 million (approximately $9 million) to P1 billion (approximately $18 million).

KMP said that these funds must be used promptly and without political interference. As storms grow more frequent and destructive, the group stressed that the critical issue is not the size of the allocation but how swiftly and transparently the funds are used and whether they genuinely reach those most in need. (AMU, DAA, RVO)