Baguio officials approve barangay, SK budgets

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified city council resolution no. 669, series of 2023, granting favorable review of several Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) barangay budgets for this year pursuant to pertinent provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended.
    These are the SK budgets of Bakakeng Norte/Sur, Gibraltar, South Central Aurora Hill, and Santo Tomas Proper barangays.
    The City Budget Officer forwarded for review of the august body the mentioned preliminary reviewed annual and supplemental SK barangay budgets.
    In its second endorsement dated Nov. 6, this year, the local legislature’s committee on youth welfare and sports development recommended favorable review of said SK barangay budgets for fiscal year 2023.
    The approved measure directs the return of the SK barangay budgets to the City Budget Office for implementation.
    Meanwhile, the Mayor also signed city council resolution no. 655, series of 2023, granting favorable review to the preliminary reviewed supplemental budget of South Drive barangay for this year as recommended in the 2nd indorsement dated Oct. 26, 2023, of the august body’s committee barangay affairs.
 

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Confidential funds

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY -- The media recently had been abuzz with reports of confidential funds worth millions of pesos being allocated into the coffers of government agencies or bodies like the Office of the Vice President getting the ire of concerned citizens.

    Through the media and online platforms, commentators hit such allocations saying these funds are taxpayers’ money and how these are spent should be explained. Some Commission on Audit officials said confidential funds are not audited, raising more complaints.

    (In this summer capital, we hear of a P2 million confidential fund under the top local government office as bared by Rep. Marcoleta among others like illegal gambling in a privilege speech, but that is another story).

    ***

Last Tuesday, a group of former government officials and lawyers filed a petition before the Supreme Court, questioning validity of transfer of P125 million to the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential fund.

The petitioners -- lawyer Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson of former vice president Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo; former Commission on Elections chairperson Christian Monsod; former Finance undersecretary Maria Cielo Magno; former Commission on Filipinos Overseas chairperson Imelda Nicolas; law professor Katrina Monsod; Ray Paolo Santiago; Honorio Poblador III; Augusto Lagman; Vicente Romano; Rex Drilon; and Miguel Jugo -- also sought to order the OVP to return the money to the government's treasury.

    In July, the COA released the 2022 audit report of the OVP confirming that the latter used P125 million that was transferred in December 2022.

    The COA, in the same report, flagged the equipment the OVP procured for its new satellite offices that were supposedly obtained without following procedures mandated by Republic Act (RA) No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.
    ***
Last September, the Office of the Executive Secretary said the confidential fund was released in compliance with provisions in the 2022 General Appropriations Act, which authorized the Office of the President to approve releases to cover funding requirements of new or urgent activities or projects that need to be implemented or paid. 
     Lawmakers on Wednesday said the House of Representatives' decision to realign confidential funds amounting to P1.23 billion of different government agencies was the "right thing to do" as shown by a recent OCTA survey, indicating that majority of the Filipinos agree with the reallocation to security agencies.
    Deputy Majority Leader and Quezon City 3rd District Rep. Franz Pumaren said the survey results showing that 57 percent of Filipinos agree with the confidential fund realignment is a "vindication for all of us" in the House of Representatives, according to a report by the government-run Philippine News Agency.
    “As far as we are concerned, this is a crucial and very important gauge for us, and an affirmation that we did the right thing. More so, it also encourages us to continue on this righteous path in carrying out what is good for our fellow countrymen. We have the moral high ground,” he added.
    Pumaren said this comes as a time wherein the chamber has been the object of criticism and threats from certain quarters due to the realignments made in the proposed 2024 national budget.
    “As you know, we have been the political punching bag of some quarters, specifically Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who did nothing bad, and who only did his job,” he said.
    The PNA report said the Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 poll of 1,200 adult respondents nationwide showed that only 14 percent “disagreed” with the House's move to reallocate confidential funds of some civilian agencies to front-line agencies in charge of ensuring national security and protecting the country's territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea.
    Of those who agreed, the highest percentage was in Balance Luzon at 75 percent, followed by the National Capital Region at 65 percent, Visayas at 46 percent, and the lowest was in Mindanao at 24 percent.
    Among socio-economic groups, 72 percent of class ABC agreed (highest) while 54 percent of class E agreed (lowest).
    Mindanao had the highest level of disagreement at 26 percent and Balance Luzon had the lowest at 10 percent.
    Among socio-economic groups, 15 percent of class E disagreed (highest) while 8 percent of class ABC disagreed (lowest).
    Occidental Mindoro Lone District Rep. Leody "Odie" Tarriela, meanwhile, said the OCTA survey strengthened the notion that the House of Representatives was on the right track.
    "It fortified our belief that the House leadership did the right thing when it removed the confidential funds of some civilian agencies and transferred them to agencies that have a direct hand in protecting our interests in the West Philippine Sea (WPS)," Tarriela said.
    "As lawmakers, we serve the people and are answerable to the people. With 57 percent of adult Filipinos agreeing with our move, it tells that we echoed the pulse of the majority. And that's what matters in the end, not rhetoric or propaganda," he added.
    He said the House stands behind the Speaker's intention to protect the country's interests in the WPS and use the full resources of the government to do so.
    "That is the patriotic way to handle our challenges at sea," he said.
    House appropriations committee chairman and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, meanwhile, welcomed the reported consensus among senators to remove confidential and intelligence funds from civilian agencies.
    “This is a vindication of the decision of the House of Representatives to realign those appropriations.     With such consensus, we foresee a smooth bicameral conference on the 2024 budget,” he said.
    Co said the reported agreement of senators to strip civilian agencies of CIFs would expedite the approval of next year’s spending program.
    Co earlier said the Office of the Vice President, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Department of Foreign Affairs will get "zero" confidential funds under the proposed spending plan for next year.
    He said the P1.23 billion worth of confidential funds will be realigned to security agencies, particularly: P300 million will be reallocated to the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; P100 million to the National Security Council; P200 million to the Philippine Coast Guard for intelligence activities and ammunition; and P381.3 million to the Department of Transportation for the development or expansion of Pag-asa Island Airport.
    According to news reports, the senators’ consensus to deprive civilian offices of CIF appropriations was reached in a caucus early last week. 
 

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Baguio okays 7 more barangay 2023 budgets

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified separate city council measures granting favorable review to the budgets of seven barangays in the Summer Capital for 2023 pursuant to pertinent provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended.
    Resolution no. 584, series of 2023, grants favorable review to the budgets of Santo Tomas Proper and Sta. Escolastica Village barangays while resolution no. 598, series of 2023, does the same for Honeymoon-Holyghost, Fort del Pilar, South Central Aurora Hill, Malcolm Square, and Middle Quirino Hill barangays.
    The City Budget Officer forwarded for review of the local legislature the above-mentioned preliminary reviewed annual and supplemental barangay budgets for calendar year 2023.
    In separate 2nd indorsements, the august body’s committee on barangay affairs recommended favorable review of said barangay budgets.
    Both approved resolutions also order the return of the barangay budgets to the City Budget Office for implementation.
 
 

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Pangasinan okays P5.73 billion budget for 2024

By Gabriel L. Cardinoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Vice Gov. Mark Ronald Lambino announced here on Monday, Oct. 23, the provincial government's budget for 2024 will be P5.73 billion, about P400 million higher than the P5.3 billion budget in 2023.
    "We attribute the increase of the budget for the 6 percent increase of our national tax allocation and the higher projected locally-generated income of the province next year," said Lambino in a press briefing at the provincial capitol here.
    He said that only about 33 percent of the budget will be allocated as salaries to provincial government workers, which is still way below the 45 percent limit set by law.
    Gov. Ramon Guico 3rd thanked Lambino and the provincial board members for the "record-breaking" approval of the annual budget.
    "Because we communicated early on, we talked often to explain to them the items in the budget, the approval was fast," said Guico during the flag-raising ceremony last Monday.
    Lambino confirmed that the budget approval in the provincial board's plenary session was fast.
    But he said that the budget process actually began in July, when the different offices of the provincial government submitted their budget proposals to the finance committee.
    After a series of meetings and deliberations, the finance committee submitted the proposed annual budget to the provincial board on October 12, three days before the deadline set by the Local Government Code.

    The proposed budget then went through a series of hearings in the provincial board's committee on appropriations. After its approval in the committee level, it was elevated to the plenary, where it was unanimously approved.
    Lambino said that during the budget hearing, the deliberation on the budgets of the provincial government-run hospitals took one day.
    This is because next year will be the second year of the implementation of the reorganization of the hospitals when its overall supervision was transferred from the Provincial Health Office to the newly created Hospital Management Services Office headed by Dr. Dalvie Casilang.
    The province runs six district hospitals, seven community hospitals and one provincial hospital.
Lambino said that most of their questions centered on the changes in the hospitals, services, infrastructure, and handling of patients.
    "I'd like to think that they were satisfied with the answers, especially when they presented the plans for 2024, which will include an even stronger social services program under the MAIP (medical assistance for indigent patients)," Lambino said.
    He said that the hospitals will soon operate their newly-acquired equipment, such as the ultrasound and X-ray machines for all the hospitals, CT scans for district hospitals, and an MRI machine for the provincial hospital.
    Last year, Pangasinan earned some P6.44 billion in revenue, making it the country's seventh top-earning province.
    Its total revenue collection in 2022 was P1.31 billion higher than the P5.13 billion that the province earned in 2021, according to the Commission on Audit's (CoA) 2022 Annual Audit Report.
    The bulk of the province's revenue came from its internal collections share amounting to P5.48 billion, which is also P1.31 billion higher than its P4.17 billion share in 2021.
    Other income sources were tax revenue, where the amount of P453.58 million was collected, and service and business income, which posted some P341.72 million. The tax revenue collection in 2022 increased by P12.67 million, while the service and business income revenue collection was higher by P46.99 million than the collection in 2021.
 

 

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TIEZA bares initial P100 million for Burnham dev’t

By Liza Agoot 

BAGUIO CITY – The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) can give at least P100 million as initial fund for the rehabilitation of Burnham Park, 25 percent of the P400 million fund that was approved by the TIEZA Board pre-pandemic.
    TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid, in an interview on Monday, said the agency was not able to immediately provide the funds because of the pandemic and the funding needs that it entailed to the government.
    “We will start implementing as soon as we get our funds,” he said.
    Lapid said they have agreed with the city government to prioritize parts of the rehabilitation plan so that whatever part of the project that will be completed can “already be used.”
    “We do not want a phase-by-phase development so they have to make priorities,” he said in an interview during his visit with his father, Sen. Lito Lapid, for the distribution of assistance to 533 heads of families and students in Baguio.
    He noted “the economy is regaining” and “money is coming in.”
    “So, we hope to implement projects for development soon,” he said.
    Lapid also bared negotiation with the Asian Development Bank for the rehabilitation of the sewerage and water treatment facility of the city is in the pipeline.
    “We still need the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) and the Department of Finance because the loans are secured by TIEZA, and if the city fails to pay, TIEZA will pay and it is still government coffers,” he added.
    Aside from the projects in Baguio, TIEZA is also eyeing development program for the Mt. Data Hotel in Mountain Province and the Banaue Hotel in Ifugao. -- PNA

 

 

 

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DBM declares Cagayan’s 2023 budget inoperative; ‘violations committed by provincial board’

By Aldwin Quitasol

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Local officials of the provincial government of Cagayan disclosed the Dept. of Budget and Management suspended the province’s programs and projects after it deemed the provincial government’s budget inoperative in its entirety.

    Cagayan Provincial Board Member Rodrigo de Asis said that the DBM declared inoperative the 2023 Annual Budget of Cagayan after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan cut a large chunk of it this year, adding that the DBM has seen violations committed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

    He added that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan slashed Cagayan’s budget with P21 million from the 20 percent development fund of Cagayan contrary to the provisions of the Local Government code.

 

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Bontoc holds budget gab for barangay execs prior to new officials’ takeover

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Aimed to improve and hasten the preparation and submission of necessary financial documents being submitted by the barangay local government units, a barangay budget orientation was conducted Sept. 6 here at the municipal capitol. The activity was facilitated by the Office of the Municipal Budget Officer, Office of the Municipal Treasurer, and Office of the Municipal Accountant.
    To ensure queries of the participants were answered, municipal budget officer Aida Lingbanan, assistant municipal treasurer Mellicynth Yodong, and municipal accountant Yolanda Comafay attended the activity. Also in attendance was municipal local government operations officer Lourdes Claire Peel of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government.
    In his message, Bontoc Mayor Jerome "Chagsen" Tudlong, Jr., urged barangay officials to raise their issues and concerns for bewtter understanding of barangays’ sources of funds and how the budget is being spent. 
    He told BLGUs to prepare earlier their respective barangay annual budget for fiscal year 2024 and ensure all financial transactions and documents were in order during turnover for the new set of incoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials.
    Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will be held Oct. 30. 

    The term of new barangay and SK officials will be effective noon of Nov. 30.
    In an open forum, barangay officials raised concerns, especially on their expenses which should be within the means of their budget and in adherence to laws and guidelines. 
    Under Republic Act 7160, the barangay dudget for the next fiscal year should be submitted by the punong barangay to the Sangguniang Barangay on or before October 16 of the current year.-- Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay, Bontoc
 

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DOST funds biz projects in La Union, Pangasinan

By Hilda Austria 

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Two micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Pangasinan and eight from La Union provinces have received PHP3.7 million under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that they utilized to buy equipment for the upgrade of their business production.
    In an interview on Wednesday, Ilocos Region SETUP coordinator Adeliza Florendo said the MSMEs chose the supplier and specifications of the equipment awarded to them according to the approved proposal of the DOST regional office.
    “The MSMEs are in manufacturing and processing including food processing, furniture and fixture, gifts’ decors and handicraft, metal and engineering sector, and agri-aqua sector among others covered by the program,” she said.
    The MSMEs in Pangasinan are Mimi’s Cacao Processing in Mangaldan town which has received P449,000 for the tablea processor and Tees Digital Arts and Prints, a souvenir items and signage maker in Laoac has received P266,560 for the purchase of its equipment.
    In La Union, Dr. Ronald Alwit Farm in Bauang town has received P360,000 for a feed mill mixer and a hammer mill for its livestock feed production while B Amigo's Wood Crafts Manufacturing in Bagulin town was awarded P329,000 for its essential woodworking equipment, including a jointer, a Mortiser, a Tenoner, a band saw, and an air compressor for its production of crafted wooden products.
    Mae Wood Crafts Manufacturing in Balaoan, La Union has received P497,200 for the procurement of a three-in-one machine and a band saw for its woodwork designs; IDA Wood Crafts Manufacturing in Bagulin town was granted PHP148,300 for a jointer and a Tenoner machine also for woodworks; Calica's Fruit Products in San Fernando City got PHP205,000 for a pneumatic filling machine and a semi-automatic cup sealing machine for their fruit product packaging process;
    4J Padilla-Gale Ricemill in Tubao town received P600,000 for a set of compact rice milling machines for its rice processing; Coloma Wood Works in Bangar town was awarded P385,000 for a three-in-one machine, a Jointer, and a Mortiser for their woodworks; and Ayaoan Lumpia Wrapper Manufacturing has received P545,520 for the procurement of a lumpia wrapper making machine, a stainless steel table, and a stainless steel cabinet for their lumpia wrapper production equipment.
    Florendo said the MSMEs will pay the amount of the equipment they obtained in three to five years depending on the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between them and the DOST without any interest and collateral.
    Under the MOA, the recipient firms are expected to use the funds to acquire technology interventions relevant to their specific industries, and these technological interventions are intended to provide the firms with the tools and equipment necessary to enhance their operations, enabling them to meet the challenges of a competitive market.
    “Nagre-request sila for support so they visited sa office and nalalaman nila programs through other MSMEs (They requested support and they visited the office and they also learn of the programs through other MSMEs,” she said.
    She advised the other MSMEs who would like to avail of the SETUP to bring a request letter to their respective Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO) and the PSTO will visit the area to conduct a technology needs assessment.
    “The firm will be assessed by observing their production and processing, and from there, their needs will be determined as well as the intervention they needed,” she added.
    The SETUP Fund is provided by the DOST Ilocos regional office to support local enterprises in adopting technological advancements to improve their business operations with the main goal of enhancing productivity, production efficiency, and overall income of these MSMEs. 
    Jennifer C. Fernandez, Science Research Specialist II of PSTO-Pangasinan, in a recent statement, emphasized the importance of fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations outlined in the MOA. -- PNA
 

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PBBM okays amendments to gov’t Procurement Reform Act

For efficient use of public funds

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed his support for the amendments of some provisions of the 2003 Government Procurement Reform Act, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said on Tuesday.
    In a press briefing in Malacañang, Pangandaman said that the proposed amendment would address underspending in government offices, which contributed to the slow GDP growth of the country in the second quarter of the year.
    “If we will look at the data for the first (semester) of this year, mayroon po tayong negative na 170.5 billion pesos po. Meaning, the national government agencies po was not able to disburse 170 billion pesos po of available funds kaya po bumaba po iyong ating—iyong contribution po ng government spending to our GDP was reduced,” she said.
    To address this issue, the DBM has issued a circular directing agencies to provide catch-up plans for their respective project implementations, in addition to the proposed amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) that were presented to the President during a sectoral meeting.
    Pangandaman said that President Marcos supported their proposed procurement revisions and recognized the need to modernize procurement processes in keeping with the changing times and technology advancements. 
     “There has already been rapid transformation in technology over the past two decades – and the pandemic propelled the urgency for digital transactions in the country. That’s why our President is correct – that we need to make government procurement more attuned to our changing times,” she said.

Pangandaman said that they are hoping that Congress will support the necessary and tedious process of updating the government procurement processes, which usually affect 25 percent of the government's annual budget. 

Among agencies with the lowest obligation rates include the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Energy (DOE).

Pangandaman said that the reforms will cover innovative procurement methods; efficient procurement; proper planning; digitalization; "Green" procurement; and, other miscellaneous provisions.

She added that they will come out with their consolidated proposed amendments in the next two weeks. The said document will also be presented to lawmakers.

 “Isusulat lang po namin nang maayos ito in a form of amendment doon sa mga provisions, sa mga existing provisions, and then we will sit down with the House and Senate counterparts po,” Pangandaman said. -- PND

 

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Baguio approves more b’gay budgets for 2023

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong ratified city council resolution no. 484, series of 2023, granting favorable review to budgets of four barangays for fiscal year 2023 pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991 as amended.
    These are the budgets of Lualhati, Scout Barrio, North Central Aurora Hill, and Pinsao Proper barangays.
    The City Budget Officer forwarded for review of the local legislature the preliminary reviewed annual and supplemental budgets of said barangays.
    In its 2nd Indorsement dated July 31, 2023, the august body’s committee on barangay affairs recommended favorable review of the four barangay budgets.
    The approved resolution also orders the return of the said barangay budgets to the City Budget Office for implementation.

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Gov’t told: Allot more to b’gays

By Aldwin Quitasol

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano urged national and local government to come together and talk about how barangays can be allotted more resources in order to better fulfill their multiple responsibilities.
    Cayetano said that after the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, there was need to determine how to add resources to groups who have wider areas of responsibility. 
    He said barangays were often given the least amount of funding among other government units despite numerous grassroots problems they regularly needed to address.
 “Executive [head] kayo dahil barangay captain, legislative [official] dahil head ng Sangguniang Barangay, and judiciary din dahil [pinuno ng] barangay justice system. Pero pagdating sa pera, kayo ang pinakamaliit,” he said. 
    Cayetano told barangay officials, especially those who are in farther areas of the country, to periodically visit the Senate and the House of Representatives to make their presence felt.
    “Sana po twice or thrice a year, o kung hindi man yung buong grupo but quarterly may presence kayo,” he advised them. He vowed that he will also visit the local officials.

 

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3,911 Cordillera gov’t bodies included in reg’l 6-year investment plan

By Mannett R. Balaki

BAGUIO CITY -- A total of 3,911 programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) from 36 regional line agencies (RLAs) six provincial local government units (LGUs) and Baguio City, the primary growth centers and inter-local cooperation areas of the Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) and  Eastern Kalinga Growth Center (EKGC) including six state universities and colleges (SUCs) were enrolled in the Cordillera Region Development Investment Plan (RDIP) 2023-2028 through the Cordillera Administrative Region Investment Program Online (CARIPOL) System.
    Based on enrolled programs and projects, the region requires a total investment amounting to P344.6 billion from 2023-2028.

As an accompanying document to the Cordillera Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028, the Cordillera RDIP collates the region’s goals and strategies in the RDP into implementable programs and projects.
    During the 2nd quarter Cordillera Regional Development Council meeting on June 8, Cordillera National Economic Development Authority regional director   Susan Sumbeling presented  results of activities undertaken to formulate the RDIP.

The RDIP serves as the six-year investment programming document that contains the priority programs and projects of the region.

These public investment PPAs are proposed by RLAs, LGUs and SUCs for funding by the national government, public-private partnership (PPP), Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Government Financial Institutions (GFIs).​

It is also a reference in the annual budget preparation of the region to assess prioritization of budget proposals of RLAs and SUCs for a specific fiscal year and in the evaluation of project proposals to be implemented in the region.

A two-level prioritization was conducted based on a set of sectoral criteria approved by RDC sectoral committees and a set of global criteria approved by the RDC that considers the relevance, scope of benefits, readiness, and agency priorities of the PPAs.

The list of regional priority PPAs included 65 Capital and 38 Technical Assistance PPAs.

The top regional PPAs represent the development priorities of the five sectors in the region -- economic, social, infrastructure, development administration and governance and watershed and environment.

 

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'Baguio gov't addressing projects flagged by COA'

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- The city government here is taking steps to address its long standing problem on unimplemented projects which became the subject of an audit observation memorandum by the Commission on Audit (COA) recently.
    City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Pena said they have pinpointed the cause of the problem for both the big and small projects identified for implementation and have identified steps to ensure the implementation of the projects as programmed.
    For small projects, the problem lies on the low costing of the projects identified which led to failure of bidding procedures.
Dela Pena said some of the projects identified costs from as low as P100,000 to P250,000 so that no contractors were willing to bid for them resulting in failure in bidding, not even when the city’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) resorted to negotiated bidding procedure.
    He said the city earlier tried to remedy this problem by clustering the projects but this did not work.
    To cure this, the city will attempt to consolidate these small projects and realign the amount to implement a big impact project instead.
    Dela Pena said the barangays have already agreed to this scheme and the BAC along with implementing offices City Buildings and Architecture Office, City Engineering Office and City Environment and Parks Management Office are now in the process of consolidating the unimplemented small projects.
    They will also review the costs of the small projects to make them viable.
    For high impact projects, he said there are those that can still be finished within the year but there are those that have been encountering delays in implementation.
    He said that to address this, the implementing offices have agreed with the city council to adjust the time of approval of the annual budget at an earlier date.
    This will facilitate the early bidding of these high impact projects and ensure earlier implementation.
    Dela Pena also assured that the budget allocated for all these projects is intact and was not squandered or misused.
     “The money is there.  We are just encountering some difficulties in implementing the projects but we assure you that all these funds will be used for projects they were meant for to benefit our constituents,” he said.

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Tabuk hospital work stopped

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The local government here stopped construction of a 100-bed city-owned and managed hospital because of large reduction in the city's National Tax Allocation (NATA) for this year.
    Mayor Darwin Estrañero said the plan to put up the hospital will be on hold because of the P243 million reduction on the city's NATA following implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia doctrine handed down by the Supreme Court.
    He added the planned hospital will be subjected to another round of feasibility studies to determine whether or not the local government will be able to sustain its operations with the NATA projected reduction in the coming years.
    Tabuk's revenue collection for the last two years was pulled down by the Covid-19 pandemic with another P3 million reduction to its NATA because of creation of two additional cities in the province also had an impact on priority programs, projects and activities this year.
    Estrañero said the city government had to forego funding of some P125 million projects under the local development plan, P25 million for the hiring of job order personnel to help in waste management programs and projects and another P75 million for other priority programs of concerned offices this year.
    "We had to implement some belt-tightening measures to mitigate effects of significant reduction of our national tax allocation for this year. We want to sustain a balanced budget to avoid incurring deficiencies, which will greatly affect the city's status in the future," the mayor said.
    He said the study will help them decide whether or not to pursue the hospital project.
    Tabuk recently celebrated its 73rd anniversary as a community by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 533 signed on June 16, 1950, and its 16th city anniversary by virtue of RA 9404 that was signed on June 24, 2007, as well as the 22nd Matagoan festival the city being the declared City of Life in the Cordillera.
 
 
 
  
 

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Benguet board allots P10-M for livelihood

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The provincial board has passed a resolution that seeks to allot P10 million annually for livelihood and skills development training and grant of equipment to organizations in the province.
    Under Ordinance 2023-312 principally authored by senior board member Marie Rose "Betbet" Fongwan, the implementation of the programs shall apply to all organizations or associations duly registered with the appropriate regulating agency. The cost of the grant to be given to each association or organization shall not exceed P200,000.
    The main purpose of the ordinance is to promote sustained management operations and livelihood opportunities for residents. Fongwan said that the special services office under the provincial governor's office will implement the ordinance.
    However, interested organizations and associations wanting to avail of the benefits and privileges of the ordinance must be accredited by the provincial board. Organizations and associations interested to avail of the programs shall present to the special services office a letter of intent and project proposal duly endorsed by the concerned barangay (village) council or the barangay chairman to the provincial governor.
    The ordinance created a screening and project monitoring committee which will be under the honorary chairmanship of the provincial governor with the vice governor serving as the vice chairman. The committee members are the chairman of the Committee on Trade, Industry, and Livelihood; the chairman of the Committee on Cooperatives and Civil Society Organizations; and the Local Economic Development and Investment promotions officer, who will designate the Cooperative Development specialist. Additional members will be appointed by the chairman, if necessary.
    The committee will create a technical working group to assist in the evaluation of proposals and shall make recommendations on the project's viability.
    Fongwan said that the grant of equipment to the qualified beneficiary organizations or associations shall be covered by a memorandum of agreement, stating the stipulations, duties, and responsibilities voluntarily agreed upon by the parties.
    Moreover, there shall be a provision in the agreement that six months of non-use of the equipment to be reckoned from the official turnover of the same shall be a valid or justifiable ground for the retrieval of the equipment by the provincial government after the lapse of five days from notice without prejudice to the discretion or option of the province to transfer the retrieved equipment to another requesting organization or association after compliance with the prescribed requirements.
    Fongwan said the livelihood training program which includes among others, financial capability, literacy, entrepreneurial skills, and basic management skills (collaboration or solidarity), problem-solving, and project management, significantly resolves or contributes to the success or sustained growth and function of the organization or association which will redound to the benefits of its members, and the community.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

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DOTR sets P62-M to upgrade Baguio, Bicol airports; bidding on

BAGUIO CITY -- The Department of Transportation will spend around P62 million to expand and improve airports in Baguio and Bicol in line with its program to modernize provincial gateways.
    In invitations to bid, the DOTr said it is looking for contractors to rehabilitate and upgrade the Loakan Airport in Baguio City and Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay.
    The DOTr plans to invest P48.45 million for the Loakan Airport development project.
Construction works include the rehabilitation of the passenger terminal building and reconstruction of the perimeter fence as well as the airport gate.
    Based on documents, the DOTr will spend P13.57 million for runway strip grade correction at the Bicol International Airport.
    The rehabilitation and upgrade of Loakan Airport must be completed in 300 days.
    Runway works at the Bicol International Airport must be delivered in 120 days.
    Flag carrier Philippine Airlines launched flights between Baguio City and Cebu City last year, marking the return of the airline to its first destination.
    Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista is pushing for the improvement of regional airports to boost tourism in the provinces.
    This year, Bautista expects the public and private sectors to complete P1 trillion in airport projects, mostly in the regions.
 

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Budget for 13 Baguio villages given green light

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong signed two city council resolutions granting favorable reviews to 13 barangay budgets for fiscal year 2023 pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991 as amended.
    Resolution no. 229, series of 2023, grants favorable review to the budgets of Sto. Tomas Central (School Area), Middle Rock Quarry, Upper Rock Quarry, City Camp Central, Andres Bonifacio, East Quirino Hill, Ferdinand, Upper General Luna, Poliwes, Brookspoint, and Loakan Proper barangays.
    Meanwhile, resolution no. 239, series of 2023, does the same for the budgets of Brookside and Upper QM barangays.
    The City Budget Officer forwarded for review of the local legislature the preliminary reviewed annual and supplemental budgets of the above-mentioned barangays.
    The august body’s committee on barangays, in separate endorsements, recommended favorable reviews of the barangay budgets for fiscal year 2023.
    Both approved measures order the return of the favorably reviewed barangay budgets to the City Budget Office for implementation.-Gaby B. Keith

 

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P50-M allocated to relocate posts obstructing gov’t projs

By Ferdinand Patinio 

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be coming up soon with a detailed master list of the relocation of electric poles that are within rights-of-way (ROW) nationwide.
    According to Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Anne Sharlyne Lapuz, the DPWH Legal Service and Regional Offices Right-of-Way and Legal Division (ROWALD) will also release guidelines on validation and prioritization of payment of ROW.
    “We are working with PHP50 million budget in 2023,” she said.
    The DPWH official added that ROWALD agreed to take proactive steps and give attention to the relocation of obstructing electric poles, which is a common issue especially in ongoing and newly widened roads across the country.
    “By the end of our meeting, we have agreed to formulate a standard procedure in the actual and physical validation of electric poles located within government’s ROW,” Lapuz said.
    The issue was discussed during the second coordination meeting of DPWH lawyers last month.
    At the same time, she ordered the close coordination of DPWH with the National Electrification Administration on the possible courses of action. -- PNA 

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P5.1-M set for Sagada projects

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Trainings  in  addressing  disaster risk and reduction  management  along with  equipment top big budget items  in  this year’s P5.1 million local disaster funds.
    This following an earlier meeting among members of the municipal disaster risk reduction and management council for the LDRRM Funds  investment plan for 2023.
    Disaster funds or local disaster risk reduction and management (LDRRM) funds are sourced from 5% of the total national tax allotment  with 70% of the  amount allotted for  disaster preparedness and mitigation  and 30% for quick response.
    Sagada usually experiences landslides brought about by typhoons usually resulting to blocked roads along with drainage and farming issues.
    Construction and rehabilitation of drainage systems was pushed by barangay officials during MDRRMC planning and budget meetings.
    Among other items budgeted on disaster concerns for this year 2023  includes the rehabilitation of Bowoe reinforced  concrete  drainage canal at barangay Kilongand three other drainage systems in the eastern zone considered as automatic budget items for 2024 considering lack of funding for 2023.
    Management of evacuation centers, acquisition of basic farm inputs  due to calamity affected  farmers and  fisherfolks were among priority budget items for  2023.
    Other identified projects for this year are information and education materials on health, vaccination and barangay based information drives and  provision of fuel for transport.
    Assistance to  Habagat  affected farmers and  purchase of  two units of motorized  water pumps for emergency  response are  identified in the 2023 budget.
    Too, installation of warning signs have long been an identified need.
    Sagada is a home to a number of sink holes and it’s an urgent and persistent call among households to build their houses and even pigpens in sites away from sink holes.
    The Mines and GeoSciences Bureau has identified 33 sink holes in town from the northern to the southern part of town.
    A vehicle costing nearly two million pesos remains unpurchased  due to  lack of funds.
    Said vehicle is hoped to be included in the 2024 budget by the MDRRMC in their next quarterly meeting.
    Drainage projects set aside in the 2023 disaster funds were considered in the 2024 budget, recent MDRRC meeting notes.
    This included rehabilitation of  the collapsed portion of Boos farm, Wanga-Pegeo farm to market road  at Tetep-an Sur,  Amba irrigation system and Ampanga-Kilong drainage system.
    Meantime, P1.5 million from unused P2.6 million disaster funds in 2022 shall be used to rehabilitate the Rural Health Unit building damaged during the July 27 earthquake.
    This, among other items budgeted from the unused P2.6 million LDRRM funds   during the recent municipal disaster risk reduction council first quarterly meeting this year held March 6.
    MDRRMC Officer Aida Abeya in an interview said P1.5 million from the unused P2.6 million in 2022 come from 70 percent of the LDRRM funds for disaster preparedness and 30 percent for quick response much as there was no state of calamity in 2022.
    The LGU’s  LDRRM funds  for 2022 comes from 5% of the total national tax allotment  amounting to  P5.7 million with 70% for  preparedness and mitigation  equivalent of  P3.9 million and 30% for quick response equivalent to  P1.7 million.
    Said unexpended P2.6 million  was forwarded to the Sangguniang Bayan for their endorsement on the utilization plan  of the unexpended  LDRRM funds  for implementation plan for year 2023. 
    Other items budgeted for the unused P2.6 million is forest fire prevention on the making of  fire lines  in prone areas implemented by the  Bureau of  Fire Protection (BFP), concerned barangays officials and the MDRRMC.
    Logistical support is also given for the removal of traffic obstruction along the road going to Ambasing at sitio Makingking and other road obstructions.

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MBLISTTDA council approves budget, organizational structure

Baguio-La Trinidad cable car project, others set 

By Kathleen Irah B. Magaliao

TUBLAY, Benguet  – A cable car system which will traverse  Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet is in the works.
    The project was included by the Metropolitan Baguio – La Trinidad – Itogon – Sablan – Tuba – Tublay Development Authority (MBLISTTDA) Council in the  authority’s approved budget for fiscal year 2024 and organizational structure in its first quarter meeting Feb. 6 here at Winaca Eco Village.
    Four offices -- Office of the MBLISTTDA Administrator, Planning Services Office, Operations Services Office and Finance and Administration Services Office, will be established under the approved organizational structure based on the mandate of the MBLISTTDA in Republic Act 11932.
    The three services will operate under supervision of the MBLISTTDA administrator – planning services composed of urban and development planning unit and project development and management unit; operations services composed of transport and traffic management, health and sanitation, public safety and order, ecosystem and environment management and tourism units and finance and administration services composed of finance and administrative units.
    The MBLISTTDA Council approved the budget proposed by the National Economic Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region for fiscal year 2024 to cover costs for full operationalization of the authority which would include the hiring of personnel, planning and project development, and administrative expenses.
    The inclusion of the regional Dept. of Interior and Local Government as a non-voting member of the MBLISTTDA Council was also approved.
    Updates on proposed and ongoing BLISTT-wide projects such as modeling and understanding landslide events BLISTT research program, proposed BLISTT cable car and waste-to-energy projects and ongoing completion of the BLISTT Outer Ring Road were also part of the meeting agenda.
    The Mulat BLISTT, led by the University of the Philippines, University of the Cordilleras, University of Baguio, Mines and Geosciences Bureau and Dept. of Science and Technology, is a research program established to support integrated disaster risk reduction management for BLISTT.
    The BLISTT cable car project which will initially cover La Trinidad and Baguio City is in the planning stage with the proponent China CAMC to conduct a project feasibility and financial viability study.
    Metro Global Renewable Energy Corp., the proponent of the BLISTT Waste to Energy Project, also agreed to conduct waste analysis and characterization and feasibility study.
    The Dept. of Public Works and Highways and BLISTT local government units clarified roles and agreed on next steps to facilitate timely completion and quality implementation of project sections for the BLISTT Outer Circumference Road project.
    The MBLISTTDA was created through Republic Act 11932, to accelerate social, economic, and political development in the BLISTT area. NEDA – CAR serves as the interim secretariat of the MBLISTTDA Council pending the operationalization of the MBLISTTDA.

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