Agencies’ cash utilization rate hits 99% in Q1–DBM
THE cash allocation utilization rate of various government agencies reached 99 percent from January to March, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Latest data on the status of notice of cash allocation (NCA) showed the utilization rate in the first three months of the year faster, or improved by 1.02 percent from the 98 percent it posted in the same period in 2023.
The 99-percent utilization rate as of end-march corresponds to the P952.652 billion out of the P959.743 billion in total NCAS released for the period.
The remaining NCAS unused amounted to P7.090 billion for the period.
NCAS are disbursement authorities that cover the cash requirements of the operations, programs and projects of government agencies issued by the DBM.
A higher NCA utilization rate shows the capacity of line agencies to timely disburse their allocated funds and implement their programs and projects, according to the DBM.
Broken down, 69.37 percent of NCA releases were allocated to line departments at P665.737 billion. The remaining 30.63 percent represented Special Allocated Funds given to agencies, such as state-run firms and local governments, amounting to P294.005 billion.
Line departments posted a 98.96-percent utilization rate, using P658.867 billion with a remaining P6.869 billion unused NCAS as of end-march this year.
No line department posted a 100-percent utilization rate yet but the Commission on Audit has posted a 99-percent utilization rate, followed by the DBM with 95 percent and the Department of Agrarian Reform with 93 percent.
Most line departments posted a 99-percent utilization rate while almost all the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have posted a 100 percent utilization rate.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) obtained the bulk of the NCA releases worth P155.395 billion. The NCAS utilized by Deped stood at 99.901 percent amounting to P155.241 billion.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education (Deped) placed second with the highest NCA releases worth P138.565 billion, of which 99.634 percent—or P138.057 billion—was utilized, with a remaining P507.159million balance.
Other line departments posting a near-100 percent utilization rate are the Department of Foreign Affairs (99.96 percent), the Department of Labor and Employment (99.97 percent), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (99.82 percent), among others.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Migrant Workers posted low utilization rates at 71.28 percent and 45.94 percent, respectively.
Moreover, Special Purpose Funds amounting to P294.005 billion were 99.92 percent utilized at P293.784 billion. Meanwhile, the Allotment to Local Government Units (ALGUS) worth P261.067 billion was utilized at 99.97 percent or P260.987 billion.
For Budgetary Support to GOCCS, a total of P32.796 billion worth of NCAS were used out of the P32.938 billion, for a utilization rate of 99.57 percent.