Sanchez wants Capitol execs to justify budget

CEBU, Philippines - Capitol department heads need to defend their respective budget proposal before the Cebu Provincial Board during a budget hearing.

PB Member Grecilda Sanchez, chairperson of the committee on budget and appropriation, said the department heads should justify the amount they asked for their respective department next year.

 Sanchez has set a three-day marathon budget hearing on the Capitol's P3 billion budget proposal for 2015 after the November 1 holiday.

Sanchez said they also want to know the projects that had been completed, ongoing, and yet to be implemented.

She, however, admitted there is a slowdown in the implementation of projects as compared to the previous administration due to stricter rules of the Commission on Audit.

"I fully expect that next year would be a better year when it comes to implementation kay karon nagtan-aw pa ta sa bag-ong procedure nga gipa-implement sa COA," Sanchez said.

 Sanchez assured no need to delay the passage of the 2015 proposed budget considering the unity among the Capitol officials under the administration of Governor Hilario Davide III and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale.

 "If there's any difference of opinion between provincial board to provincial board(sic), it is right away addressed, dili na siya mo-escalate," Sanchez said.

 The 2015 budget which is 15.6 percent more than this year's P2.59 billion will be deliberated upon and approved by the PB.

 The Annual Investment Plan is also up to P462.6 million from P407 million.

More than half of the AIP for next year would go to infrastructure projects with P246 million allocated for the repair, rehabilitation, and construction of roads, bridges and other structures.

Specifically, P86 million will go to the construction and repair of provincial, city, and municipal roads, bridges, and other structures, while P50 million is intended for farm-to-market roads, and  P110 million would be for loan payment for the heavy equipment. —(FREEMAN)