Neg. Occ. oks P500K more "pork barrel" for PB

BACOLOD CITY - Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. had allocated P500,000 to each of the Provincial Board member, in addition to their respective P1 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), popularly known as "pork barrel."

PB Member Salvador Escalante, finance committee chairman, confirmed this information, although he said they were surprised and happy of the decision of the governor, who earlier rejected their request for an additional P200,000 to each of the PB member's PDAF.

The additional money will be sourced from the P71.2 million Supplemental Budget No. 1 of 2011 that the PB approved last January 5, Escalante said.

Meanwhile, around 2,265 employees of the Negros Occidental Capitol will start receiving their 12-percent salary increase this January, Escalante said, adding that the increase this year would be the second tranche, mandated under the Salary Standardization Act.

Capitol employees said their January 10 salary was delayed due to the process involved in the salary adjustment.

Escalante said Marañon has not signed the Notice of Salary Adjustment yet because the Electronic Data Processing Division is still updating its records, but he assured the employees that they will receive a salary differential in the next payroll on January 25. (FREEMAN)