Speech
Abelardo de la Espriella  ·  2026-09-14 14:08

El Gobierno le habla a la Patria: Decreto 1383, emergencia

Colombians, more resources to respond to the emergency. We begin with the signing of legislative decree 1383 on September 9. President de la Espiella is allowing the territories affected by the earthquake to use the resources they already have and free up financial capacity to address the needs of the emergency more quickly. This decree adopts three decisions that are worth explaining. The first one has to do with pensioners. The affected departments and municipalities will have a one-time new deadline to meet the requirements and request resources from the National Pension Fund of the territorial entities FOMPET intended for the payment of the pension payroll. Territorial entities will have 30 business days to submit the requirements and 45 business days to request the withdrawal of resources. And why is this important? Because by using the resources already available in FOMPET for that purpose, territories can free up their own resources that they currently need to address the emergency, protect communities, and respond to the most urgent needs of the population. It is important to clarify that this measure does not jeopardize the payment of monthly pensions or the fulfillment of obligations related to pension liabilities. This involves using resources that are already allocated for that purpose temporarily and responsibly, in accordance with established rules and without affecting the pension security of the beneficiaries. The second decision allows the affected territorial entities to have an extraordinary period to access surplus resources from FOMPET corresponding to the education and general purpose sectors . They will again have 30 business days to prove the requirements and 45 business days to submit the application. This decree maintains an essential condition. The level of pension coverage required by law is not modified. In other words, the possibility of using these resources does not mean ignoring pension obligations in any way or reducing the guarantees that departments and municipalities must fulfill. On the contrary, it seeks to facilitate a timely response in the affected territories, while maintaining responsibility and the sustainability of public finances. The third and final decision is directly related to a fundamental need to address the emergency: hospital infrastructure. The affected municipalities will be able to use surplus funds from the FOMPET health sector during 2026 to recover the infrastructure of the public hospital network that has been affected and that is necessary to address the consequences of the tragedy. This will allow for the repair, adaptation, and reactivation of essential spaces for the healthcare of communities. And this doesn't mean spending without control either. Projects must comply with the relevant planning instruments, technical requirements, and feasibility conditions. In addition, they will have the assistance and evaluation of the Ministry of Health under the leadership of Dora Vesga. In this way, resources can be directed to priority projects that are technically sound and truly necessary for the recovery of health services. Fellow citizens, this decree opens a door that was closed so that the affected territories can access resources that belong to them, free up their own resources to address the emergency and recover essential public infrastructure. To conclude and to make it clear, the decree seeks to manage public resources with a sense of urgency, yes, but also with responsibility, transparency and technical criteria, because in times of emergency it is necessary to act quickly, but also to make decisions that protect the future of the communities. Thanks to decrees like this, together we will rebuild our miraculous homeland.