By 61 percent: Gwen cuts budget for Greg's office

CEBU, Philippines – Of the P3 billion proposed annual budget of the Province of Cebu for next year, Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, Jr. will only get P18 million.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia slashed the budget appropriation for the Office of the Vice-Governor for 2011 by 61 percent compared to the budget for this year.

Sanchez feels strongly about the move of the governor and even brands it as an act of "terrorism."

For 2010, the office of Sanchez got P45.6 million appropriation while in the proposed budget submitted by the governor for next year, the Office will only get a little over P18 million.

Unlike the practice of previous years when the concerned department heads should be the one to prepare their budget for review of the budget officer, this time the budget officer is the one who transferred and reviewed all proposed appropriations of the departments and had such approved by the governor.

Items being removed for next year's budget of the Office include P6.2 million for salaries and wages for casual employees; P3 million for consultancy services; P4.5 million for legislative research and codification project and P11.5 million legislative assistance fund.

An item in the capital outlay for office building in the amount of P2.5 million was also deleted while an appropriation for non-office expenditures of P20 million has been reduced to P4 million.

Sanchez said that the slashing of his budget is meant to immobilize his office.

"It can happen, it may not that there is reduction. Worst than what is expected," Sanchez told reporters.

At least 50 casual employees of Sanchez fear of losing their jobs by January due to the removal of the appropriation for salaries and wages except the three regular co-terminus staff.

There is also a huge reduction of the appropriation for each of the Office of the Provincial Board members from P8 million to P2.7 million despite having only one, Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy, not allied with the governor.

Sanchez said that good for the rest of the PB members because they can ask Garcia for financial assistance for projects in the barangays in their respective districts.

Garcia submitted the P3 billion proposed 2011 annual budget to the PB last Friday before she left for China.

The proposed budget was not considered for first reading in yesterday's PB session since it was not calendared as business for the day.

The budget will be calendared for first reading during the November 8 session since the next two successive Mondays fall on holidays.

Sanchez said he is now studying what legal action he would take about the budget cut.

He said that during the budget hearing, they will carefully scrutinize all the items including the appropriations for the office of the governor before the 2011 annual budget is finally passed.

Garcia and Sanchez have been at odds since last year which resulted to the non-renewal of the contracts of his consultants and some of his staff and the pulling out of some of his equipment and vehicles. (FREEMAN)