THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) will now be “more tolerant” of budget proposals seeking to rehabilitate and develop tourist spots, following the temporary closure of environmentally-battered Boracay Island.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, in a media briefing on Wednesday, said the DBM will be more open to give fiscal space for similar rehabilitation programs, as they undergo evaluations for the Tier 2 budget proposals, or new projects requiring funding.
“I think from here on, we will be more tolerant of requests of this nature. Wherein you want to develop tourist destinations, making it more sustainable and more developed,” Mr. Diokno said.
“We will strongly consider that,” he added, noting that they will look at possible rehabilitation programs in Coron and El Nido in Palawan, and Siargao in Surigao del Norte.
He said the Budget department will give priority to new projects that deliver basic services for tourists such as health facilities with helipads.
“In Coron, there’s no hospital there. So when we develop a tourist destination, that should be part of the infrastructure that we have to build. To make it safe and secure for the tourists,» said Mr. Diokno.
The DBM has set a P362.3-billion cap for Tier 2 funding next year, which is equivalent to 10.4% of the proposed P3.78-trillion 2019 budget.
Moreover, he said that the DBM would likewise be open for additional funding in the 2019 budget for possible spillovers of rehabilitation efforts, such as the development of other areas in Malay, Aklan, and the relocation of informal settlers.
“Should agency programs or projects for the Boracay rehabilitation spill over into fiscal year 2019, agencies may also propose these in their Tier-2 budget proposals for the 2019 budget,” he said.
“There are many areas there that need to be improved after the rehab of the main area in Boracay. There are some informal settlers that need to be relocated so those activities might be spilled over to next year.”
Currently, expenses for Boracay’s rehabilitation program are sourced from the Environment and Tourism departments, as well as the P13 billion contingent fund and the P19 billion calamity fund.
Mr. Diokno said the DBM has already released some P448 million to the Department of Labor and Employment to cover the financial assistance of affected formal-sector workers, as well as the Boracay Emergency Employment Program, where affected workers are trained on online marketing awareness, screen printing, entrepreneurship.
The Trade and Tourism departments, along with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, has also launched trainings on crafts-making, financial literacy, tour-guiding, driving, welding, pipe-fitting, masonry, among others.
The Budget chief also said that the government is providing micro-enterprise assistance and employment support grants, the Balik-Probinsya transportation allowance, and the Trabaho, Negosyo, at Kabuhayan job fairs.
However, it is still seeking approval from the Office of the President to augment the budget allocation of the Boracay Circumferential Road Project to P490 million from P50 million currently.
“Rest assured that the government has a work plan in the temporary closure of Boracay Island. This plan does not only involve the physical rehabilitation of the once pristine island, but also extends to the social welfare of the residents and workers to be affected,” Mr. Diokno said.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the island of Boracay, which he earlier described as a “cessspool,” to be closed to tourists for six months starting April 26 for rehabilitation. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR