Ende reports Rp16 billion of presidential quake aid absorbed for Flores recovery

Ende — Local authorities in Ende say presidential social assistance for recovery from the August Flores earthquake is now being absorbed, with about Rp16 billion of a Rp20 billion allocation to the district reported as disbursed for emergency and rehabilitation programmes.

The assistance forms part of a national package of Rp200 billion in "bantuan kemasyarakatan Presiden" (presidential community assistance) for disaster response in Nusa Tenggara Timur. According to statements from the Ministry of Home Affairs and national officials, the package includes Rp40 billion for the provincial government and Rp20 billion each for eight affected districts in Flores, including Ende.

A report from Ende published by Tribun News Network’s Flores edition on 16 September 2026 says the district received Rp20 billion from this presidential assistance scheme for earthquake response. Local officials cited by the outlet said around Rp16 billion — or roughly 80 percent of the allocation — had been absorbed.

According to the same report, the funds in Ende have gone to a mix of emergency and recovery uses. Officials said spending has supported the operations of the district’s disaster response task force, temporary schooling arrangements, health services, social assistance and administrative services such as civil registration.

The head of the Ende Education and Culture Office, Venantius Minggu, was quoted as saying his office had absorbed a substantial portion of the assistance for education-related needs. The funding has reportedly been used to procure tents and other temporary facilities for hundreds of schools affected by the earthquake, allowing teaching activities to resume while permanent buildings are assessed or repaired.

Nationally, the presidential assistance package was announced in late August as part of efforts to strengthen local budgets following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Flores in mid-August. Central government statements have described the Rp200 billion support as a top-up to local budgets for unexpected spending, specifically earmarked for disaster management and related social programmes.

Several national media reports and official briefings have outlined the distribution of this funding. They state that the Rp40 billion allocation for the provincial government is intended to reinforce province-wide coordination and services, while each of the eight districts in Flores was given Rp20 billion to address local impacts.

The districts identified as recipients alongside Ende include West Manggarai, Manggarai, East Manggarai, Ngada, Nagekeo, Sikka and East Flores. Across these areas, authorities have been urged by national officials to accelerate spending of the assistance so that it rapidly reaches residents affected by the earthquake.

While Ende’s reported absorption rate of around Rp16 billion suggests a relatively fast implementation of presidential aid, officials there say some funds remain available. Local agencies continue to process programmes linked to housing, community facilities and social support as damage assessments and needs mapping evolve.

The presidential assistance adds to other disaster-response funding in Ende and elsewhere in Flores, including the districts’ own contingency budgets. National officials have emphasised that all such funds are to be used strictly for disaster management and related recovery activities, and have called for close oversight of their use.

Sources

• Tribun News NTT
• RRI
• CNBC Indonesia