PB approves P1.9B supplemental budget

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Board approved yesterday a P1.9 billion supplemental budget, including the allocation for the construction of a 20-story building at the Capitol Compound.

Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas explained that the approved supplemental budget is a guarantee that there is a funding source for the P1.5-billion project.

Also included in the supplemental budget is the P54 million multilevel parking within the Capitol compound. The four-story parking building will be built at the parking area in front of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO). Its original cost is P84 million.

Only P54 million was included in the supplemental budget this time because there was already a P30 million allocation approved last year.

Rodas said the provincial government can now proceed with the bidding which would take an average of three months.

Rodas explained that the multilevel parking is separate from the 20-story provincial resource center. He said the former will be used as parking for the clients and workers in the executive and legislative buildings while the latter's parking area will only serve the clients whose transactions are at the modern building.

The Capitol will also buy coaster van using the P21 million of the approved supplemental budget. P6.72 million will be donated to the Philippine Mental Health Association as stated in the Memorandum of Agreement for the province-wide mental health program.

The remaining balance has been allocated to fund for the wages of newly created positions and other purchases of the Capitol for various offices.

PB Member Jude Sybico questioned why the salary grade for some of the newly created plantilla positions is as high as salary grade 26. According to the third tranche of the government salary standardization, this is equivalent to at least P92,000 monthly salary.

Considering the 'big' amount, Sybico asked the budget officer if the wage is justified. Rodas responded that the salary grade and positions were already approved by the Provincial Board beforehand. It's inclusion in the supplemental budget is justified by previous ordinances creating the new offices and its positions.

Last year, the PB approved a P4.5 billion budget for the year 2018. (FREEMAN)