Government releases P18B for disaster response
‘As the national fundraiser, we in the DoF ensure that we have enough funds to immediately respond to the needs of Filipinos in times of calamities.’ As of 9 November 2025, the national government has already disbursed P17.85 billion of the P21-billion National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, or the Calamity Fund.
The Department of Finance (DoF) on Wednesday assured the public that the government has sufficient funds to provide aid to communities devastated by recent typhoons and earthquakes.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto emphasized that the government’s responsibility is to deliver immediate assistance to Filipinos affected by natural disasters and said the national coffers remain strong and capable of supporting relief and recovery operations.
Speaking in Tagalog, Recto said, “It is important that the government has funds ready for immediate response to emergencies. As the national fundraiser, we in the DoF ensure that we have enough funds and the capability to immediately respond to the needs of every Filipino in times of calamities.”
Calamity fund
According to the DoF, the national government, as of 9 November 2025, has already disbursed P17.85 billion of the P21-billion National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF), also known as the Calamity Fund.
Appropriated annually, the Calamity Fund supports disaster risk reduction, prevention, and preparedness activities, as well as immediate aid, relief, and rehabilitation services in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Quick Response Fund
The DOF added that the government also maintains a Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the national budget, allocated to key agencies as a standby resource for rehabilitation and recovery in disaster-stricken areas. As of 10 November, the national government has released P13.96 billion under the QRF, including continuing appropriations from 2024.
This month alone, the latest QRF release amounted to P1.68 billion to support relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts across regions hit by recent earthquakes and typhoon “Tino” and super typhoon “Uwan,” the DoF said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will receive the bulk of the fund — P1 billion — to bolster recovery and rehabilitation programs in areas affected by African swine fever and recent tropical cyclones.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will receive P631.03 million and P53.01 million, respectively.
The DSWD will use its allocation to provide family food packs, non-food essentials, relief goods, and