P1.38B budget okayed in 7 minutes

CEBU, Philippines — In less than 10 minutes, members of the Cebu Provincial Board yesterday approved the first supplemental budget requested by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia amounting to P1.38 billion.

No member raised a question or objection when Sixth District PB Member Glenn Anthony Soco, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, endorsed the measure for first reading during the regular session yesterday.

After going on a one-minute recess, the board proceeded with the second reading, still without a question from the members.

Another recess was called, this time for two minutes, followed by the third and final reading, which lasted about 30 seconds. No discussion still.

The entire proceeding lasted seven minutes more or less.

“It’s provided for in our house rules that for supplemental budget, you can endorse it og walay question. Earlier (in the caucus), there were no questions on the budget,” Soco told The FREEMAN when asked to comment on the brevity of the approval process.

Soco said that with the approval of the extra budget amounting to P1,385,156,940.20, Garcia can now execute her priority projects and programs.

“This is important because this will give the Governor the needed budget to implement her programs. Being the first appropriation ordinance, it’s also important for the provincial government that this is enacted, especially since the administration is new,” he said.

Garcia had certified the measure earlier as “urgent,” that is why the three readings had been lumped in one session.

“I am hereby certifying the urgency of the enactment of an Appropriation Ordinance, authorizing the said supplemental budget on first, second, and third readings,” Garcia said in her letter to the PB.

Major provisions

The biggest chunk of the budget will go to the development fund with an appropriation of P880 million.

Garcia earlier said repairing provincial roads is among the thrusts of her government.

“First of all, I will really focus on the erstwhile-ignored provincial roads that are riddled with potholes and poorly maintained,” she said in Cebuano in an interview yesterday.

Based on the approved budget, P800 million of the P880 million will be used to improve, rehabilitate, and construct roads and bridges. The remaining P50 million and P30 million are allotted for water supply and buildings and other structures, respectively.

Also included in the supplemental budget is Garcia’s promised aid to barangays totaling P125 million.

During the Association of Barangay Councils general assembly earlier, Garcia promised extending financial support to barangays, including a P50,000 aid for the preservation of culture and traditions, especially the fiesta celebrations.

“The annual budget, which contains P266 million for these items, has been depleted. P89,000 na lang ang nabilin,” Garcia said last week.

Also in the same general assembly, Garcia announced her plan to grant P2,400 as year-end incentives for frontline barangay workers, such as health workers, nutrition scholars, day care center volunteers and animal health aides.

The incentives are now manifested in the approved supplemental budget with an allocation of P59,832,000.

Another major line item in the budget is the P269 million earmarked to subsidize the operations of local government units. This may include financial support of P500,000 to P700,000 to each of the cities and municipalities joining the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo later this month.

The last three items are all under the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) with total provision of P494,422,900.

The supplemental budget will be sourced from identified savings and reversions of the approved general budget of 2019.

The current Provincial Board is composed of 10 allies of Garcia and seven allies of the opposition bloc led by Vice Governor Hilario Davide III. (FREEMAN)