According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), 85 percent of the national budget for 2021 has already been distributed to government agencies.

The allotment release of P3.83 trillion for the first half of this year accounted for 85.1 percent of the government’s P4.50-trillion budget, DBM data showed.

The latest figure exceeds the P3.78 trillion disclosed in the first half of 2020.

Line departments received P2.73 trillion, which included funds for agencies and other constitutional offices.

Special purpose funds (SPFs), which are budgetary allocations in the General Appropriations Act for certain socioeconomic reasons, received a total of P242.41 billion.

These are usually lump sum in nature, as the recipient agencies and/or specific programs and projects were not identified during the budget preparation and legislation. SPFs are used for financial assistance for government corporations, distribution to local government units, contingencies, miscellaneous personnel benefits, and national catastrophe risk mitigation and management, as well as pension and gratuity payments.

Automatic appropriations or appropriations programmed annually received a total of P1 trillion in allotment releases.

These include P56.79 billion for retirement and life insurance premiums; P695.49 billion for internal revenue allotment; P71.66 billion for block grant; P480,000 for pension of ex-presidents and widows of former presidents; P31.06 billion for special account for the general fund; P7.17 billion for net lending; P132.88 billion for interest payments; and P14.50 billion for tax expenditures fund/customs duties and taxes.

Other releases totaled P205.30 billion, including unprogrammed allocations, continuing appropriations for 2020, and other automatic allocations.

The Budget department had announced that it has already begun processing the complete release of cash allocations of agencies for the period in accordance with National Budget Circular 583, or the Guidelines on the Release of Funds for Fiscal Year 2021, in preparation for the second semester.

“This should enable faster budget execution and aid line agencies in implementing their respective programs, activities and projects to bolster the country’s economic recovery for the remaining half of the year,” it said.