Manila, April 26 -- The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday said the government could tap the remaining PHP15.507 billion under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) for 2024 to mitigate the effects of the El Nino phenomenon.

In a statement, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the PHP15.5-billion balance in the NDRRMF is part of the total PHP20.5 billion allocated for disaster risk reduction and management this year.

"We are prepared to support all operations that seek to cushion the negative impacts of the dry spell affecting various provinces in the country. Our data shows that as of April 24 this year, the disaster relief fund stands at over PHP15 billion," she said.

The current NDRRMF b...