BNPB Insists Disaster Emergency Budget Has No Limit

BNPB Says Emergency Disaster Funding Remains Fully Available

Tempatdonasi.com – Indonesia’s disaster response operations will continue to receive government support based on conditions in affected areas, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) head Lt. Gen. Suharyanto said, rejecting claims that the administration of President Prabowo Subianto has reduced funding for emergency action.

Suharyanto drew a distinction between savings measures for everyday government administration and the resources used when disasters require an operational response. The agency’s routine spending, including official travel and meeting-related catering, is subject to efficiency policies. Emergency deployments, however, are funded to meet actual requirements in the field.

The budget for disaster management has no limits. The efficiency policy is for routine office expenses or business trips. However, for disaster operations, whatever is needed in the field, we work on it and it is fully supported by the government through the Ministry of Finance.

The statement, issued on Saturday, September 12, 2026, addressed concerns arising from a sharp decline in BNPB’s annual budget allocation. While the agency’s formal budget has fallen over recent years, Suharyanto stressed that emergency operations are supported separately when a situation demands action.

Air Assets Deployed for Fire Response

Central Kalimantan has become one example of the agency’s continuing operational preparedness. BNPB has mobilized aircraft and helicopters to reinforce wildfire prevention and firefighting efforts in the province, where aerial support can be essential for reaching areas that are difficult to access from the ground.

An air task force remains ready to conduct water-bombing missions. The active fleet includes a Kamov KA-32AO with registration UR-CSM, an SA330J Puma registered N-814AR, a Sikorsky S-61N identified as C-FIZA, and an AS 332L Super Puma bearing registration C-FPUM.

Other equipment is being maintained for potential use. BNPB listed an AS350B3 patrol aircraft, registered PK-KIA, and a Blackhawk EH-60A water-bombing helicopter, registered ZK-HKU, as undergoing routine maintenance.

The availability of several aircraft types gives disaster managers different options during a fire emergency. Patrol aircraft can help monitor affected areas and identify priority locations, while helicopters configured for water bombing can support firefighting operations from the air. Maintenance also remains a necessary part of readiness, helping ensure that assets can be used safely when they are required.

Weather Modification Flights Continue

BNPB has also continued Weather Modification Operations, or WMO, over locations considered high priority. Its C206B EX aircraft, registered PK-FPU, conducted one sortie, while a CASA aircraft operated by the Ministry of Environment, registered A-2103, completed another.

The flights covered target areas in East Kotawaringin Regency, Katingan Regency, and Palangka Raya City. These operations form part of the broader response effort alongside air patrols, water-bombing readiness, and work carried out by teams on the ground.

For communities facing wildfire risk, the scale of the response often depends on rapidly changing conditions. Aircraft availability, weather patterns, the location of fires, and access to affected terrain can all shape the type of assistance needed. BNPB’s position is that these immediate needs, rather than routine institutional spending limits, determine the financing of an emergency operation.

Formal BNPB Allocation Has Declined

BNPB’s budget allocation has nevertheless decreased substantially from year to year. The agency received Rp4.91 trillion in 2024, followed by Rp2.01 trillion in 2025. Its 2026 allocation fell further to roughly Rp491 billion.

The 2026 figure is the lowest in at least a decade during a period of broad government efficiency measures. That reduction has prompted questions over whether a smaller institutional allocation could affect Indonesia’s capacity to respond to disasters, particularly as the country manages risks ranging from forest and land fires to floods, earthquakes, and other emergencies.

Suharyanto’s remarks present the government’s response to that concern: ordinary operating expenses may be tightened, but emergency disaster action is not intended to be constrained by a fixed ceiling. Support is to be provided through the Ministry of Finance when field operations require additional resources.

The distinction is important because an annual agency budget and the cost of a disaster response do not always move in the same way. Routine funding covers the institution’s planned activities and day-to-day needs, while an emergency can require rapid deployment of equipment, personnel, logistics, transport, and specialized assets beyond what was anticipated in regular spending plans.

Focus on Needs in the Field

BNPB’s current response in Central Kalimantan illustrates the operational approach described by Suharyanto. The agency is maintaining a mix of aircraft for firefighting, surveillance, and weather modification while keeping other units in maintenance. The goal is to preserve the ability to act as conditions develop.

For residents in areas exposed to fires, the agency’s assurance centers on whether support can be mobilized when needed. Suharyanto said emergency priorities will continue to be determined by realities on the ground, with the central government expected to provide the necessary financial backing for disaster operations.