The government has released P2.433 trillion or 93.4 percent of the P2.606-trillion 2015 national budget as of September, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
The share of end-September releases to this year’s total budget, which also included continuing appropriations under the 2014 general as well as supplemental budgets, was higher than the 92.1 percent recorded in the first nine months of last year.
For releases covering the original 2015 general appropriations, end-September allotment releases hit P2.350 trillion or 90.2 percent of the programmed amount.
Comprehensive releases to government departments from January to September amounted to P1.286 trillion or 96.4 percent of the program.
As for the Special Purpose Funds, P240.6 billion of the P405.9 billion programmed for 2015 have been released as of end-September.
“While most of this year’s national budget has already been released to agencies, we still have around 60 percent of Special Purpose Funds available. For example, only 26.6 percent of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund has been released to date,” Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said in a statement.
“While it may seem like we’re lagging in this regard, the availability of these funds for release means we’re prepared to address the aftermath of calamities hitting the country like typhoon ‘Lando,’” the Budget chief added.
In the remaining three months, a balance of P172.7 billion should still be disbursed.
In line with faster budget releases, the DBM expects government spending to further pick up in the remaining months of the year.
“The acceleration in disbursements in the recent months is a good indication that agencies are gradually meeting up their planned spending commitments. Based on discussions with some agencies during FDU (full-time delivery unit) meetings held starting August, catch-up plans are already in place, pointing to a good sign that disbursements will further improve towards the end of the year,” the DBM said in a recent report.
Administrative Order (AO) No. 46 issued by President Aquino last March called for the creation of FDUs in all government offices to reverse anemic spending, which had slowed economic growth in recent quarters.
The DBM is seeking the approval of the P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016, 15.2-percent bigger than this year’s enacted budget.