PB out-of-town session today in Balamban town

CEBU, Philippines – Members of the Cebu Provincial Board, led by Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, will be heading to Balamban town today for its third out-of-town session this year.

Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera explained that the out-of-town session is “a way of bringing the provincial government closer to its constituents.”

The legislative body’s house rules also provide that sessions should also be held in districts at least once every quarter.

The out-of-town session is the third under the present administration. The first one was in February in Bogo City, while the second was in Samboan town last June.

This morning, local officials and residents will also be given a venue to air concerns and issues through a consultative assembly with Capitol officials and department heads, Natera said.

She added that Magpale would be spearheading the assembly today since Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III is still in Russia for the renewal the twinning agreement between Cebu Province and St. Petersburg Administration, and meetings with officials there.

Among the matters to be acted upon by the PB in its session today is the appropriation of P7.5 million for payment of the 5,000 sacks of National Food Authority-supplied rice, each weighs 50 kilograms, which will be given out by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office as part of its continuing relief efforts to El Niño-affected areas in the province.

The province’s relief assistance has already reached 293 barangays in 18 affected local government units.

In May this year, the province was placed under state of calamity in anticipation of the effects of the prevailing El Niño phenomenon, which was projected by PAGASA to persist until next year.

Other items in the PB’s agenda are proposed resolutions, which would grant authority to the governor to execute a contract on behalf of the Capitol with different construction firms for some infrastructure projects, including improvement of provincial roads in Tuburan, Carmen, and San Fernando totaling to P53 million.

Another contract to be entered by the province is for the construction of a rehabilitation center for persons with disabilities at the Minglanilla District Hospital worth P886,033. —/ATO (FREEMAN)