PB to examine Capitol’s P13.3 billion budget

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government is proposing a big chunk of its budget for the infrastructure and health services of the Province in 2022.

For infrastructure, the Capitol is pushing for a P4.9 billion under the development projects next year.

The amount includes the P2.2 billion for the concreting, improvement and rehabilitation of the provincial and barangay roads, bridges and even the street lights; P1.5 billion for the water system development program; P1 billion for the construction and improvement and furnishing of the building and other structures; P200 million for the construction of the drainage system, slope protection and flood control structures and P50 million for the socio economic facilities and support services.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in her letter to the Cebu Provincial Board, said that these development projects are meant to improve the delivery of services of the Capitol to its constituents and for the upliftment of the economy of Cebu.

Aside from the infrastructure, the Capitol is also pushing for a P6.2 billion fund for its health services.

This covers the P3.2 billion for the construction and improvement of the hospitals and other health facilities of the Province including the plan to acquire more medical and operational equipment for the health facilities and the COVID-19 response and sanitation program.

The executive department of the Capitol is also proposing P804.5 million for the public health services and P2.2 billion for the hospital services.

Garcia said that after the COVID-19 pandemic distressed the health sector of the Province, there's a need to fully equipped the provincial and district hospitals including the other health facilities in the Province.

"Our primary objective is to continue managing and operating the Province of Cebu as an enterprise where its funds will be judiciously (used) for the delivery of quality government services for the Cebuanos," Garcia said.

The P18.3 billion budget ordinance for next year was already passed for first reading on Monday during the PB regular session.

Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco, who chairs the PB committee on budget and appropriations, said that they will start the budget deliberation next week. — GMR (FREEMAN)