Capitol’s budget pegged at P2.8B

CEBU, Philippines - With a number of departments asking for more funds to implement their respective projects, Cebu Province’s proposed 2015 budget is estimated to be around P2.8 billion, which is 210 million more than this year’s allocation.

Governor Hilario Davide III said that discussion during the recent budget hearing showed the next budget has increased to almost P3 billion.

“Nisaka because of the projects nga atong giplanohan. Basically on the projects and the expenses nato (in the Capitol),” Davide explained.

This year’s annual budget is P2.59 billion, which is P600 million lower than the 2013 budget.

According to Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas, the 2015 budget would be higher, particularly in some departments like the Provincial Health Office and the Provincial Agriculture’s Office, while the disaster fund and the development fund would also be increased since Cebu Province’s Internal Revenue Allotment share is also expected to increase.

Every LGU is mandated to automatically allocate 20 percent of the IRA for its development fund and five percent for its disaster fund.

Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) sets that the five percent disaster fund would then be divided to 70 percent for disaster preparedness programs and 30 percent for quick response fund.

“Nisaka sad gyud ang IRA. Mao sad na ang reason nga duna tay mga programa nga mapun-an nato ug pondo (Our IRA share is to increase, which is why we would have programs with higher funding),” Davide said.

Rodas said they are looking at an increase of P260 million in Cebu Province’s IRA share due to increase in collection.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., had said his office’s budget would already be P121 million, or a P10 million increase compared to last year’s P111 million.

Davide said the Provincial Health Office would also have a bigger budget (P462.4 million) because of more projects, including  the improvement of health services in the province, that he is pushing for in the health sector, which is one of his priorities along with disaster preparedness.

At least 10 district and provincial hospitals can now perform major surgical procedures after having been upgraded to level one by the Department of Health in April this year.

These are the provincial hospitals in the cities of Bogo, Carcar and Danao; and the district hospitals in Bantayan, Barili, Badian, Tuburan, San Francisco, Argao, and Sogod.

Davide said setting aside more funds for health is in line with the province’s pursuit to improve the provincial government-run hospitals to at least level one since some are still in the primary care level. There are 16 government-run hospitals in the province.

The Capitol is also eyeing to improve operating rooms and to hire more medical personnel.

The Provincial Agriculture Office, on the other hand, has requested for a 2015 budget of P291 million, which Provincial Agriculture Officer Roldan Saragena said is around P100 million higher than the 2014 budget.

Saragena said a big chunk of the 2015 budget of their office would go to the farm-to-market road projects, purchase of agricultural equipment, trainings for farmers, and crop insurance.

“Ato gyod i-focus ning farm-to-market roads to ensure food security of the farmers kay lisod gyod kaayo ang mga dalan,” he added.

The agriculture is among the Davide administration’s priorities, with the governor’s six-star agenda stating that “increasing the productivity of farms, ponds and municipal waters is a target to achieve food security.”

“Improved technology nowadays is the product of extensive research. One such example is the Farmer-Scientist Training Program, a proven formula to increase yields per unit area of farm. Infra support to farming and fishing like farm to market access roads are important to encourage farmers to produce in higher quantities of crops and become entrepreneurs,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources requested for P15 million for next year. The amount includes expenses for the installation of satellite nurseries in the northern and southern part of the province.

The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission, on the other hand, proposed a P7-million budget. CPADAC Executive Director Joey Herrera said the figure would also fund anti-drug programs and activities in the province.

He also mentioned the conduct of random drug tests as part of the province’s thrust to weed out ‘drug users’ at the provincial government.

The Capitol also assisted Cebu LGUs in drug screening. The municipality of Alcoy was the latest to conduct drug screening, catching five male employees out of the 83 who joined the test yesterday.  (FREEMAN)