Province okays P134.7M2nd supplemental budget

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Board approved yesterday in mass motion the second supplemental budget amounting to over P134.7 million which includes incentives and allowances of barangay workers.

Ten members of the board, including presiding officer Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, approved the supplemental budget totaling to P134,757,000.

Based on the PB ordinance which shows breakdown of the budget, P28.4 million is allocated for the honorarium and training expenses of volunteer frontline workers, particularly the barangay health workers, nutrition scholars, animal health aide, day care workers and other volunteers while P23.7 million is allocated for the honorarium and other operational expenses of the Philippine National Police, Army, barangay tanods and other military and peace and order task forces.

Assistant Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas explained to the PB that it was difficult to allocate budget for the incentives of the workers in the previous budget since the provincial government was on a tight budget.

But since the province has more savings for this period, they were able to include the allocation in the proposed supplemental budget, Rodas said.

Vice Governor Magpale confirmed that they will start giving out the incentives to workers by December 3.

An allocation of P1 million for the Provincial Detention Rehabilitation Center is also included in the budget which is to be spent on the maintenance of the facility, rehabilitation programs and the transportation expense of the detainees to the courts.

A P6 million budget is also included for the execution of general supervision and control over all programs and the implementation of all law and ordinances related to provincial governance.

Also included in the budget is P3.5 million for outsourced general/janitorial services for the delivery of basic services; P10 million as assistance to barangays and another P10 million as assistance for cities and municipalities for economical governance for the general welfare of the province, as well as a P2 million and P4.2 million budget for LGUs and institutions under the Vice Governor’s Office and PB members, respectively. — AJ de la Torre-Orong/JMD (FREEMAN)