Budget for environmental concerns slashed

CEBU, Philippines - While Provincial Board Member Thadeo Ouano showed off legislative measures to address environmental concerns in the Province of Cebu, the appropriations to fund the programs were slashed for this year while the budget for the province’s disaster risk reduction program was deleted.

The PB passed the reduced budget of P3.26 billion for the province for 2013 which is 11 percent lower than the P3.6 billion appropriation submitted by suspended Governor  Gwendolyn Garcia last year.

This resulted to the reduction of the appropriations of some items.

The PB maintained the lump sum appropriations amounting to P108.7 million for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund representing the five percent of the annual budget as mandated by law.

The P30 million was reduced to P15 million for the Expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (E-Gwen) under the Office of the Governor.

Garcia proposed P1 million for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council/Program but it was deleted in the approved budget.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) have only P1.8 million for its environment and sanitary services projects.

The proposed P20 million for the environmental enhancement, resource protection and solid waste management program was also slashed to P10 million.

The proposed P2 million for other social, environmental development services program was also reduced to P1 million under the development projects.

Ouano, who chairs the PB committee on environmental protection, earlier said that measures are already in place to address the environmental concerns for Cebu that were raised by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun.

Gozun warned that Metro Cebu faces the risk of flashfloods if the government continues to ignore the degradation of watersheds and if the local government units (LGUs) do not find ways to catch rainwater.

Gozun, the Presidential Assistant for Climate Change, suggested that LGUs in Metro Cebu should build water catchment facilities as a first line of defense against flashfloods.

Ouano said that the PB has just passed on first reading the proposed ordinance for the adoption of green building program and the giving of incentives to developers.  (FREEMAN)