PB approves P12B annual budget on second reading

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Board approved on second reading the P12 billion proposed budget of the Capitol for next year during its out-of-town session yesterday in Camotes Island.

The budget ordinance authored by Provincial Board Member Glenn Soco hurdled second reading without a single question from among the members of the provincial legislative body and in the presence of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The governor attended yesterday's out-of-town session to deliver her budget message on the largest proposed annual budget for the Province of Cebu to date. She highlighted in her message the priority services to be funded under the 2020 budget.

Among these are the concreting of 250 km of provincial roads and over 100 kilometers of barangay roads, development of water systems and vertical structures along with the development of a bulk water supply.

"What does this mean? Projects, projects, projects for all of the seven districts of the Province of Cebu," she said.

Garcia also said that the biggest budget will be a clarion call to the entire nation that the Province of Cebu will be on its way back to being number one.

Bulk of the proposed budget next year would go to social services. This would cover medical services, social welfare programs, among others.

Soco explained that the board opted to hold a separate session for the third reading of the budget ordinance to give the members of the board time to raise their questions. Normally the board would lump the approval of a proposed ordinance for second and third reading in one session.

"The board opted that it be taken on a step-by-step process and the approval for the second reading is also significant because it’s an out-of-town session so we find it also symbolic that we bring it back to the Provincial Capitol to be approved for third reading," Soco said. (FREEMAN)