DILG-7 sets P200M for CV projects

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government has allocated a budget of about P200 million for developmental projects for the three among four provinces in Central Visayas through the Local Government Support Funds.

The province of Siquijor was not included after reportedly failing to pass their “Seal of Good House-Keeping”, a project of the DILG which includes the millennium development goals.

DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo said the LGSF are funds intended for the development projects of the local government units as identified in their respective local development investment program.

“We will provide the money which will now cross through the national government agency,” Robredo told reporters after a closed-door meeting yesterday morning at the DILG-7 office.

Robredo said he immediately called for a meeting because the projects will be implemented soon and if a specific project will be done in the province of Cebu, they will be working out an arrangement to have somebody who can manage it in behalf of the regional director.

Other regions focused aside from Region 7 are Regions 3, 4, and 5.

Elias Fernandez Jr., DILG-7 assistant regional director, disclosed that in the province of Cebu, there are 27 towns and cities on the list while 23 are listed in Negros Oriental and 37 in Bohol.

“The focus here is on the developmental side ever since the LGSF started in 1996,” Fernandez said.

The developmental plan was the offshoot of the meeting between the secretaries of the DILG, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Agriculture, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Robredo said they are fast tracking their projects this year after questions were raised last year.

When asked if his visit had something to do with the upcoming 2013 election because of a few political figures spotted during the meeting, Robredo claimed that it was only natural for him to pay courtesy to the local leaders who also raised some concerns.

He admitted that among the concerns raised was the problem in Danao City, which he claimed to be beyond his jurisdiction but that of the Commission on Elections.

Another concern was the proposal to transfer the Mactan Cebu International Airport to Cordova town from Mactan Island. He said the proposal requires serious study and people who can make a very good assessment about it.

“This is just a regular work and we are taking this as an effort to quickly implement projects,” Robredo said. (FREEMAN)