PB OKs P12B budget for Capitol next year

CEBU, Philippines — At more than P12 billion, the biggest budget in the history of Cebu was approved on third and final reading in yesterday’s regular session of the Provincial Board.

The board passed the ordinance authorizing the P12,000,028,000 annual budget for the provincial government next year.

There were no questions raised during third reading and the ordinance was approved in under 10 minutes.

Of the budget, P1,761,820,588.45 (14.86%) will go to General Public Services, P6,255,097,777.74 (52.13%) will go to social services and P3,983,109,633.81 (33.19%) will go to economic service.

Sixth District Board Member Hon. Glenn Soco, chairman of the Provincial Board Committee on Budget and Appropriations, praised the executive department for coming up with the largest budget for the entire history of the province.

"We're upbeat and optimistic with the passage of the 2020 annual budget… The budget is unprecedented and historic," he said.

According to him, the funds will be "distributed to vital and important projects" that will "greatly benefit a lot of the Cebuanos.”

He also added that there were very minimal revisions with the proposed budget that are contained within the amended version.

“The revisions have contained the amount appropriated for personal services which was allocated under the office of the vice governor but in lieu of the amendment, it was reverted back to the… different offices of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members,” Soco said.

In the amended budget, P65 million of public funds will be appropriated to the Office of the Vice Governor while P155 million will go to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

“So the next phase would be the execution and that is more important. There is so much to look forward to for 2020,” Soco said.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia expressed her gratitude to Vice Governor Hilario Davide III and the Provincial Board for the speedy approval of the proposed budget.

She added that she looks forward to the equitable distribution of funds to the local government units in the province.

“I am grateful for the trust and confidence that the provincial board has given me in the speedy approval of our 2020 budget,” she said.

“It can be rest assured that this budget will be of most benefit to our constituents in the entire province, to be equitably distributed among all our seven districts, our forty-four towns and seven component cities,” she added. (FREEMAN)