MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management  on Wednesday said it is scrambling to allocate additional funds for typhoon relief operations after 70% of the government's P2 billion calamity fund was depleted by the previous administration.

Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said 70% or P1.4 billion of the government calamity fund was already spent in the first half of the year before President Benigno Aquino took power.

He added that the remaining 30% or P600 million is just enough for the quick reaction fund for relief operations of the social welfare and public works departments.

Abad said the government needs to source additional funds for disaster relief especially since typhoon season had just started. He added that one possible source is the priority development assistance funds (PDAF) or pork barrel of legislators.

The budget chief said President Aquino has asked him to investigate why the calamity funds were nearly depleted considering that no major typhoon has yet to hit the country since the start of the year.