Province wants to spend surplus for health facilities

CEBU, Philippines - Capitol is eyeing at spending its 2013 surplus of P566 million to improve health facilities in the province.

One way of doing so would be to purchase equipment for government-run hospitals that the Department of Health upgraded to Level 1. These hospitals can now perform surgical operations and laboratory examinations like ultrasound and electrocardiogram (ECG) tests.

“I’m glad. That’s good news para nako. We must be doing right here diri sa Capitol,” Governor Hilario Davide III told reporters.

Davide said health and hospitals are on top of the list as far as priority is concerned.

“Kana nga savings dako pa ta og gamitan ana sa basic services. We go to our 6-point agenda. Health, hospitals ang number one. We are going to purchase heavy equipment hopefully by June,” he said.

The P566 million surplus for 2013 serves as beginning cash balance for this fiscal year. Records of the Provincial Accounting office showed that Capitol’s total expenses last year was P1.913 billion while its total income was P2.479 billion.

The 2013 surplus is higher by P40 million than the 2012 surplus during the time of former governor Gwendolyn Garcia, something that Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said can be attributed to Capitol’s “prudent” spending when Davide assumed office.

Magpale said the province only had P90 million funds when she was still acting governor.

Capitol’s Internal Revenue Allotment at that time reached to P150 a month.

Magpale explained that the province has set aside P7.5 million in the succeeding months, which were deposited in the calamity fund.

“Ako gyud nang gibalik-balik ang ‘prudent’ spending,” she added. – (FREEMAN)