Provincial board raises concern over Cebu’s 2027 P14.6-billion budget

Local

THE Cebu Provincial Board has raised concerns over the significant gap on the P18-billion Annual Investment Program (AIP) and the province’s proposed P14.6 billion annual budget for 2027.

During the first day of the budget deliberation of the Committee on Budget and Appropriation on Tuesday, Nov. 3, ABC President and ex-officio board member Celestino “Tining” Martinez, who chairs the committee, noted the roughly P4-billion difference.

He expressed concern whether the province could realistically finance and implement the proposed programs, considering that even the P14.6 billion budget might already be difficult to achieve.

“Ang akong concern lang ba kay ang difference sa P14.6 to P18 billion is already P4 billion ang deperensya. So naay worth P4 billion nga proposal sa PDC nga dili tinood? Kay naglisod man ta gani'g… I don't know if we can accomplish the P14.6 billion, unless moingon ta nga maka income pa ta'g sobra anaang P14.6 billion,” Martinez said.

Martinez emphasized that the AIP should reflect the province's actual development plans.

“If moingon ka nako nga P18 billion for 2027, not unless magkuha tag loan, then perhaps makaabot ta og P18 billion. But realistically speaking, for an annual budget, annual investment plan over and top from your P11 billion this year to a jacked up P18 billion next year, murag layo gyud kaayo ang ... asa man na dapita ang gi estimate nga addtional P4 billion. For unsa na nga project nga wala ma included sa atong annual budget?” Martinez asked.

Martinez mentioned the programs and projects of the 2027 AIP of Cebu Province. These include the construction and improvement of hospital facilities inlcudidng acquisition of medical and operational supplies, equipment amounting to P772 million; construction of roads and bridges repairs, lighting program (P400 million); water supply development program (P303 million); food security (P440 million); construction, improvement and furnishing of building and other structures in the Capitol (P87 million); digital information and communciations technologoy (P62 million); soliad waste managment and other enviromental programs (P150 million); Philippin Rural Develpment Program PDRP counterpart fund (P30 million); airport, seaport reclamaintion and other onsite development pograms (P5 million); power generation, electrification (P268 million); construction of drainaige systems, slope protections, seawall (P127 million); and assistance to LGUs for institutional capital and development projects and activities (P300 million).

Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas explained that the P18 billion AIP represents the province's overall plans and proposed expenditures for the entire year.

Included here are the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) incentives, Service Recognition Incentive (SRI), possible bonuses and other supplemental expenditures and proposed development projects and programs.

Rodas said this approach is intended to include potential supplemental appropriations in the annual plan from the beginning, minimizing the need to repeatedly convene the Provincial Development Council (PDC) for approval of supplemental programs.

He furthered that AIP is a planning document and does not automatically mean that all listed projects will be funded.

“Pero mao lage na during pag deliberate sa funding source, di man gyud masulod tanan, so mao na nga ang controlling pud nato sa expenditure, dia pud sa ordinance. The plan (AIP) is mura ni siya og preparatory raman na sya unya kung pila gyud gusto nato nga buhaton, pero in the final budget hearing nato according to section 317 kun unsa ra gyud avaialbe nga funds mao ra ang fundingan out of that plan” Rodas explained.

In the end, Rodas said they will still see if there’s still an available fund.(MyTVCebu)