Senator Kiko Pangilinan has introduced a measure seeking an additional ₱15 billion in government funding to bolster relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani in Mindanao on Monday.
Under Senate Bill No. 2259, the proposed supplemental appropriation aims to strengthen the government’s response to the disaster and support rebuilding initiatives in affected communities.
“This bill seeks to appropriate Fifteen Billion Pesos as supplemental funding to augment the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRMFF) for relief, recovery, rehabilitation, repair, and reconstruction efforts in areas affected,” the bill stated.
“This supplemental budget will support the restoration of schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, irrigation systems, power and transport facilities, housing, and local government infrastructure. It will likewise provide assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and other sectors whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the disaster,” it added.
The powerful earthquake reportedly claimed the lives of 38 individuals, while four others remain missing. The hardest-hit areas were in the Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN.
According to the Office of Civil Defense, damage to infrastructure in the affected regions has already exceeded ₱500 million.
Pangilinan said the proposed funding would supplement the existing resources of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and help address the immediate and long-term needs of communities affected by the quake.
Based on the proposed allocation, ₱2 billion would be earmarked for the Department of Agriculture, including ₱1 billion for the National Irrigation Administration and another ₱1 billion for assistance programs benefiting farmers and fisherfolk. The Department of Education would receive ₱2 billion, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development would be allotted ₱1.5 billion.
The proposal also allocates ₱500 million for the Department of Energy and ₱1 billion for state universities and colleges.
Additional funding includes ₱1.5 billion for the Department of Health, ₱1 billion for rural, district, and provincial hospitals through the DOH and concerned local government units, ₱1 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways, ₱2 billion for the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the National Housing Authority, ₱500 million for the Department of Transportation, and ₱2 billion in direct assistance for affected local governments.
Pangilinan emphasized that the immediate welfare of residents in Mindanao remains the government’s primary concern following the disaster.
“Ang prayoridad natin sa gitna ng sakunang ito ay ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan sa Mindanao—na sila ay maging ligtas, magkaroon ng sapat na tulong mula sa gobyerno, at nawa’y makabalik muli sa kanilang normal na buhay at hanapbuhay sa pinaka-madaling panahon,” the lawmaker said.
He also stressed the importance of sustained government support beyond emergency relief operations.
“Higit pa sa agarang tulong na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa Mindanao ngayon, kailangan din nila ng matagalang suporta mula sa gobyerno para muli silang makabangon mula sa trahedyang ito,” the senator added.
Meanwhile, Malacañang announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to travel to Mindanao to personally inspect the areas affected by the earthquake and assess the government’s response efforts.