RDC endorses ₱100.76-B Cordillera 2022 budget

By Marlo Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Development Council endorsed the budgets of the regional line agencies (RLAs), their attached agencies, and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for fiscal year 2022 on March 18 during the RDC’s first quarter full council meeting.
    The budgets were reviewed by the Regional Development Budget Coordinating Committee last Feb. 22 to 23.
    The RDBCC is a support committee of the Cordillera Regional Development Council which advocates implementation of programs and projects that support Regional Development Plan 2017-2022 and listed in the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) 2017-2022.
    The total RDC-endorsed budget for fiscal year 2022 is ₱100.76 billion.
    This is about ₱2 billion less than the RDC-endorsed budget for fiscal year 2021. 
    Of the total endorsed budget, 53% amounting to ₱52.09 billion was set for Dept. of Public Works and Highways Cordillera projects and programs.
    The regional Dept. of Budget and Management reported only about 58% of the RDC-CAR endorsed total budget of the agencies and SUCs for fiscal year 2021 was approved and included in the 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
    This 58% totaled around ₱59 billion of the estimated ₱102.77 billion RDC-endorsed budget for 2021.
    This is better than previous years, according to National Economic Development Authority Cordillera, as only 36% of the RDC-endorsed budgets were approved in 2017-2019. 
    The RDC-CAR and its lead secretariat, NEDA-CAR, are aiming to increase percentage of approved budget proposals by ensuring that proposed programs, projects, and activities are ready for implementation and aligned with national and regional development and investment priorities.
    DBM-CAR director Irene Gahid, who chairs the RDBCC, said there was need to align budget to regional priorities.
    The consultation was held to review the agency budgets vis-à-vis the regional plans and programs. 
    NEDA-CAR acting regional director Stephanie Christiansen, co-chair of the RDBCC, said agencies affected by the Covid-19 pandemic had to adjust regional plans to ensure the goals of government agencies are l met.
    Among other priorities, she said, was focus on digitalization of government process to “serve our clients, the Cordillera people, better”. 
    Referring to national budget memorandum (NBM) 138, Gahid said preparation of 2022 budgets of agencies was needed in consideration of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling. 
    Starting 2022, local government units will have more funds for implementing programs.
    The national government is expected to devolve basic functions and corresponding programs, projects, and activities for  implementation by local government units.
    The budget call of the RDBCC included an annex for agencies to list down their prospective functions to be devolved to LGUs. According to NBM 138, LGUs, especially 1st to 4th income class LGUs, are expected to be responsible for funding and delivery of PPAs that are to be devolved.
    Agencies were urged to prioritize proposals of 5th to 6th income class municipalities during the budget consultation.
    The budget memorandum cited the Local Government Code of 1991 and other subsequent laws as bases for devolution.
    The forum also provided an avenue for agencies to converge and enhance their PPAs.
    For example, DTI regional director Myrna Pablo and director Christiansen both recognized the importance and growth potential of the fisheries sector of the Cordillera after a presentation by the Cordillera Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
    Seeing it as a source of additional nutrition for the land-locked Cordillera with the potential to address demand in the region, Christiansen said “We need investment in fisheries and government should be a catalyst in development”.