Capitol reiterates guidelines on monetary aid limitations

CEBU, Philippines - Inconsistencies between the submitted liquidation papers and the report from actual inspection are prompting the Cebu Provincial Government to reiterate its guidelines, or limitations, on financial assistance.

Aside from the questioned Tuburan barangay projects charged against Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr.’s discretionary funds, Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said they also received reports on questionable processes regarding the release of Legislative Assistance Fund (LAF) for socio-cultural activities in the barangays.

The governor’s spokesperson claimed they received complaints from barangay captain-recipients of assistance for socio-cultural activities, who reported that they were made to hire the services and the equipment of a band maintained by a top Capitol official.

The barangay captains were only made to sign the check that was supposedly for their barangay, but the money was then released directly to the band.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia wants to prevent these from happening again, stressed Sepulveda.

The Cebu Provincial Legal Office is now conducting investigation on the use of the Sanchez’s LAF for the different barangays in Tuburan town.

The barangay captains admitted that they encountered problems in liquidating the financial assistance, although they maintained that the projects were properly implemented.

The Capitol had noted some discrepancies in the liquidation papers of the barangay captains. Sepulveda said they are just waiting for the findings and recommendation from Provincial Legal Officer Mariano Martinquilla on the case.

 The Capitol is now imposing the guidelines for assistance for socio-cultural activities, which is limited to one resolution per year for every barangay.

For requests on concreting of barangay roads, the Provincial Government will provide the cement, the municipal government will provide sand and gravel and other equipments, while the barangay will provide the labor.

The Capitol guidelines further said that the barangay will provide a maintenance crew for the newly concreted road and drainage once the project is completed.

The same guidelines state that all requests for roads and water systems should follow the Municipal Development Plan, and that all requests must be endorsed by their respective mayors.

 To encourage prioritization, requests for financial assistance shall be limited to three resolutions per year for every barangay, preferably in accordance with the Capitol’s priority projects. — THE FREEMAN