Cash utilization stuck at 94%

MANILA, Philippines — The government slightly increased its releases of cash allocations, but spending usage of state agencies did not budge as of end-October, according to the Department of Budget and Management.

DBM data showed that notices of cash allocation (NCAs) rose by just a percentage to P3.6 trillion as of end-October from  P3.56 trillion a year ago.

Despite the increase, government agencies recorded the same utilization rate as last year at 94 percent.

This means that of the total releases, some P209.47 billion was unused as of end-October.

NCAs are disbursement orders by the DBM to government banks servicing the release of funds to agencies.

State agencies are expected to use the NCAs to pay for the cash requirements of their programs and projects.

A higher utilization ratio indicates greater capacity of agencies to implement their programs and projects.

Almost 75 percent of NCA releases were secured by line departments at P2.67 trillion. The remaining P934.34 billion was directed to other agencies, especially state-run firms and local governments.

By sector, other agencies managed to use up the entire allocation for them to cover the internal revenue allotment, special shares and other transfers for LGUs.

Line departments, on the other hand, registered the same 10-month utilization rate at 92 percent or P2.46 trillion for the NCAs they received as of end-October.

By departments, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) still obtained the highest NCAs worth P703.41 billion and P517.62 billion, respectively, in the 10-month period.

Data showed that DPWH managed to improve its utilization at 95 percent while DepEd used up 94 percent, slightly better than last year’s 93 percent.

Among the agencies, only the Commission on Audit recorded a 100 percent utilization rate.

Other agencies that posted above 95 percent usage rate include the DBM and the departments of Energy, Interior and Local Government, National Defense, Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, The Judiciary, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, the Commission on Human Rights, as well as state colleges and universities.

On the other hand, the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) registered the worst NCA utilization rate as of October at 35 percent as it only spent P3.96 billion out of the P11.39 billion released.

The Department of Migrant Workers came in second with a utilization rate of 39 percent at P4.77 billion out of P12.23 billion while the Department of Agriculture is at third with a spending rate of 71 percent.