Road funds stall approval of supplemental budget

The P65-million appropriations for roads and bridges under the Provincial Engineer's Office hampered the recommendation for approval of the P294-million supplemental budget by the PB Committee on Budget and Appropriations.

Provincial Board member Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, chairman of the committee, told PB members Agnes Magpale and Victor Maambong that the road and bridge projects to be funded by the said amount have to be specified.

Under Item 13 or the Office of the Provincial Engineer, P15 million is to be appropriated for the maintenance for roads and bridges and P50 million for road improvement projects Phase 3.

Quisumbing said he wants to know whether the said amount is for the outsourced projects or the provincially implemented projects.

He said that with the additional P65 million for roads and bridges, the province already allocated almost P400 million inclusive of the appropriations from the 2005 Annual Budget and Supplemental Budget 1.

Provincial engineer Eulogio Pelayre was asked by the committee to explain the allocation but was not able to do so because he was recuperating from a tooth extraction.

To this, Quisumbing said that further discussions on this matter will be done during the presentation of their report this Monday in Dalaguete town to which Pelayre is invited.

Integrated Provincial Health Officer Cristina Giango was also requested to attend the caucus for some minor point of clarifications.

Under the health department, the Committee Members were alarmed that the province is still appropriating for collective negotiable agreement bonus and leave monetization credits of Mandaue District Hospital employees.

Giango said that the employees of Mandaue District Hospital were already given different assignments but had retained such titles. Maambong said it will be better to have them listed under the IPHO already to avoid being misunderstood.

The supplemental budget was not calendared as one of the items in this Monday's session as no one was officially assigned as sponsor until the committee hearing yesterday afternoon.

A staff of the provincial secretary said it was not finalized whether Quisumbing or Maambong would sponsor the second supplemental budget.

During last Monday's session, Maambong, vice chairman of the committee, sponsored the passage of the ordinance for the first reading.

Earlier, Quisumbing left expecting that the budget will be referred to his committee as moved by majority floor leader Raul Bacaltos. But Maambong, upon the suggestion of PB member Juan Bolo, amended his motion and moved for the reconsideration of the earlier motion of having it referred to the Committee on Budget and Appropriation.

The second supplemental budget included the much-awaited P22-million CNA of the provincial capitol employees as promised by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. - Ferliza C. Contratista