The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released Php3.263 trillion or 89.1 percent of the PhP3.662 trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 obligation program, as of July 31, 2019.

Allotment releases to the line departments reached PhP1.923 trillion. These include funds allocated for agencies in the Executive branch, Congress, the Judiciary, and other constitutional offices.

In addition, fund releases from Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) amounted to PhP222.143 billion.

Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) are budgetary allocations in the GAA allocated for specific socio-economic purposes such as Budgetary Support to Government Corporations, Allocation to Local Government Units, Contingent Fund, Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, and Pension and Gratuity Fund.

The immediate release of funds by the DBM will ensure that national government agencies are able to swiftly implement their programs and projects, such as the construction of new roads, schools, and hospitals, and the protection and promotion of the welfare of the poor and marginalized sectors, among others.

Automatic Appropriations

Allotment releases for automatic appropriations reached PhP1.063 trillion, or 99.2 percent of the FY 2019 program for automatic appropriations. 

Said release includes 100 percent of the FY 2019 program for the Retirement and Life Insurance Program, Internal Revenue Allotment, Pension of Ex-President/Ex-President Widows, Net Lending, and Interest Payments.

Automatic appropriations refer to appropriations programmed annually or for some other period prescribed by law. 

Additional Releases

The DBM has also released PhP24.7 billion as of end-July  from the continuing appropriations of the 2018 GAA, comprising releases for line departments and releases from SPFs.

Continuing appropriations refer to appropriations available to support obligations for a specified purpose or project, such as multi-year construction projects which require the incurrence of obligations beyond one fiscal year. 

Moreover, unprogrammed appropriations in the amount of PhP24.1 billion have been released for the foreign-assisted projects of the Department of Transportation, and for the payment of pension arrearages of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Department of National Defense - AFP General 1Headquarters.  

Unprogrammed appropriations are standby appropriations which authorize additional agency expenditures for priority programs and projects when revenue collections exceed the resource targets or when additional grants or foreign funds are generated.

Allotments for other automatic appropriations, amounting to PhP5.2 billion, have also been released. 

(30)