Pampanga earmarks P70.4 M for projects

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here approved the allocation of P70.4 million for the governor’s office to be spent for calamity needs, livelihood loans and other expeditures of the provincial government.

The recent onslaught of floods in the province caused damage worth P382 million in infrastructure, crops, and fisheries. Damage to roads, school buildings, dikes and bridges also amounted to some P120 million, according to provincial engineer Jay Macatuno.

The P70.4 million allotment is expected to expedite the release of P22,008,091 in calamity funds needed to help hundreds of families dislocated by heavy flooding in the province’s 20 towns. Close to 600,000 provincial folk were affected by the recent floods.

Of the amount, more than P25 million was set aside for goods and equipment purchses while over P16 million was approved for "non-office accounts." The members of the provincial board also approved the release of P6 million for livelihood loans.

However, the board members deferred issuing Gov. Mark Lapid the authority to procure various needs of the provincial government amounting to P67,644,705 or 20 percent of the provincial development fund. The development fund items are part of the original P138,054,361 requested by the provincial budget officer for allocation to the governor’s office.

Meanwhile, provincial agriculturist Mario Mangiliman said some 12,698 hectares of agricultural lands in the 20 towns and cities of San Fernando and Angeles in Pampanga were adversely affected by heavy flooding. He estimated the cost of agricultural damage to reach over P 110 million.

He said only 3,626 hectares of planted crops could be recovered, while 9,072 hectares have no chance of recovery.

Provincial senior aquaculturist Emerita Malig reported that some 834 hectares of freshwater ponds and 1,881 hectares of brackishwater ponds, which hold species like tilapia, sugpo and bangus were also damaged. Malig pegged the damage to fishpond areas at P150,808,147, based on reports from 533 affected fishpond operators in the 20 towns and the two cities.