Only 30 brgys availed of city’s dev’t funds

CEBU, Philippines - Only 30 of all 80 barangays in Cebu City were able to avail of various infrastructure projects that were charged against the Local Development Funds last year because the other barangays did not ask for projects or the documents they submitted were incomplete.

This was announced yesterday by Engr. Oscar Abordo of the Cebu City Planning and Development Office when he conducted a briefing for the City Hall reporters about the annual accomplishment in 2012.

Abordo believe that many barangay officials do not know how to prepare documents to support their requests for projects like farm-to-market roads, drainage rehabilitation projects, repair of their barangay halls and other buildings.

It was learned that even barangay captains of the urban barangays failed to avail of projects that will be charged from the LDF, which is equivalent to 20 per cent of the annual budget of a local government unit.

Projects that will be charged against the LDF needs to be approved first by the Local Development Council (LDC) chaired by the mayor and composed of all barangay captains, the congressmen, chairman of the City Council’s committee on budget and finance and other representatives from the various non-government organizations.

Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said he asked for projects in his barangay that will be charged against the LDF, but his request was not approved for lack of supporting documents.

Aside from the LDF, the barangays can also avail of P6.8 million worth of projects that will be charged from the City Hall’s aid to the barangays.

The barangay officials can choose specific projects to be implemented whether for social development like the construction of multi-purpose buildings or for economic development like the construction of farm-to-market roads. — (FREEMAN)