Led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., the House of Representatives has called for the realignment of the unreleased Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for 2013 to augment the Calamity Fund and aid in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts for victims of monster typhoon “Yolanda.”

Belmonte also recommended realigning certain items in the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2014 to create a P20-billion rehabilitation fund to rebuild areas demolished by the supertyphoon and help survivors get back on their feet.

House Joint Resolution No. 7 filed by leaders of the House waives “all rights to the unreleased balance of the 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and authorizes the Executive Department “to realign the same to the Calamity Fund."

The resolution was authored by Belmonte and the six deputy speakers—Roberto Puno (NUP, first district, Antipolo), Henedina Abad (LP, Batanes), Giorgidi Aggabao (NPC, 4th district, Isabela), Sergio Apostol (LP, 2nd district, Leyte), Pangalian Balindong (LP, 2nd district, Lanao del Sur) and Carlos Padilla (Nacionalista, Nueva Vizcaya).

The co-authors also include Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales, Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, Representatives Mel Senen Sarmiento (1st District, Western Samar), Enrique Cojuangco (1st District, Tarlac), Mark Llandro Mendoza (4th District, Batangas), Eleandro Madrona (Lone District, Romblon), Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. (Dasmarinas City), Antonio Lagdameo, Jr. (2nd District, Davao del Norte), Rolando Andaya, Jr. (1st District, Camarines Sur), Mar-Len Abigail Binay (2nd District, Makati City), Nicanor Briones (Party-list, AGAP) and Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP).

The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order on the release of the remaining portion of the PDAF of lawmakers for 2013 to stop them from identifying projects financed by the Fund.  But if the PDAF is realigned as calamity funds then lawmakers can no longer identify which projects would be funded by it.

Belmonte said the House has another proposal which involves realigning  certain items in  the proposed national budget for 2014  to create a rehabilitation fund for areas severely affected by typhoon “Yolanda” (international code name: Haiyan).

“The [2014] budget has just passed first reading and is still pending second reading in the Senate, but eventually it will go to the bicam[eral] committee meeting and during the bicameral meeting we would like to take steps to realign certain items there which we are trying to study now through the Appropriations Committee to create a rehabilitation fund,” Belmonte said.

“Maybe we can grant that the President has the power to realign as we maintain he has, but nonetheless Congress should take steps in view of these tragedies and calamities that have been happening in the country,” he added.

Belmonte said that the House “will see to it that the 2014 budget will not leave the bicam committee without the [rehabilitation] plan there.”

He noted that the government’s proposed rehabilitation program earmarks a minimum of P10 billion,  “but our own version would like it to hit at least P20 billion.”

The House is also offering the Batasan Complex in Quezon City as a drop-off point for  donations in kind, Belmonte noted. "We will make sure that whatever is dropped off here by way of dry goods, by way of used clothing or anything else...we will see to it that these will be sent to the appropriate places," he said.