₱353.8 B released for virus response

The government has so far released ₱ 353.8 billion for various coronavirus response programs but will not seek a supplemental budget from Congress for now, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said yesterday.

Avisado explained that the government has no new revenue sources and excess collection that will fund any supplement or additional budget that may be requested from Congress.

At present, the government's COVID-19 response budget is mostly sourced from pooled savings from discontinued programs as well as unprogrammed appropriations in the 2020 national budget.

"Napag-usapan sa economic development cluster at DBCC ‘yung posibilidad na kung puwede tayo maglahad sa supplemental budget. Sa ngayon po, hindi po natin puwedeng gawin 'yan dahil ang requirement ng supplemental budget ay mayroon tayong new source of revenues or taxes at pangalawa kung mayroon excess sa collection natin. In both cases, wala po," he said.

"So wala pong pagbabasehan ang ating pinag-iisipang supplemental budget," he said.