SP to approve P100M

supplemental budget

CORTES, Bohol Oct 28 (PIA) –Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan, acting as committee of the whole, is set to approve a P100,924,325.00 supplemental budget for economic, social development, general services and its economic enterprise, foremost of which is for the P50 M farm to market road from San Miguel to Ubay, and the P30 million in crop insurance premiums in support of farmers feeling the impact of El Niño.

In its Committee Report No. 5 series of 2023, Bohol SP led by Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite, responding on the need for immediate priorities not incorporated by the regular allocations for 2023, acted on a Provincial Development Council (PDC) Executive Committee resolution No. 68-2023 recommending for the P100 M supplemental budget for Bohol’s Investment Program for 2023.

In a letter to the SP, Gov Erico Aristotle Aumentado sought for the SP endorsement, to effectively allow the release of the additional budget for 2023, as incorporated in the PDC Execom resolution.

The biggest allocation for the supplemental budget is for the P50M construction of about 10 kilometers of farm-to-market Road in Casate, Ubay to Corazon, San Miguel, Bohol, which would be implemented by the Provincial Engineer’s Office.

Local Budget Officer has certified the availability of funds for large-scale infrastructure, this one from the Local Government Support Fund and other Financial Assistance to LGUS (LGSF-FA to LGUs) in the General Appropriations Act of 2023.

And then another P30M of the budget, is earmarked for the crop insurance premiums, as proposed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

It may be recalled that OPA pushed for the enrolment of some 30,000 farmer beneficiaries to the government’s Philippine Crops Insurance Corporation, covering almost 90% of farmers in agriculture and fisheries damages in this impending long dry spell.

The fund is already available and would be coming from the Capitol’s Salary savings of 2023, 2022 unappropriated surplus, 2022 reverted and re-appropriated Capital Outlay and re-aligned 20% Development Funds, as certified.

And then, there is the P5 M rehabilitation of the Rice Processing Center (RPC) in Pilar Bohol, to support Bohol’s Food Security, its funds from OPA salary savings for 2022 unappropriated surplus, 2022 reverted and re-appropriated Capital Outlay and some re-aligned 20% Development Funds for 2023, as attested by the PDC. The remaining P1 M would come from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.

Acquired by Bohol then, the one hectare complex, has a drying capacity of 3,600 metric tons (MT) per year and a milling capacity of 3 MT o 60 cavans per hour, a milling recovery of 65% and a storage capacity of 22,000 bags. This however has not been operational for already a long time.

Moreover, Capitol is investing in the P2.5M asphalt overlay of Tawala Road, the road that leads to Bohol’s most famous beach stretch in Alona Panglao, Bohol, funded by this year’s Capital Outlay.

For Capitol’s general services, the supplemental budget fills in the need to build the P2.5M mezzanine Floor of the Provincial Library, which is phase 3 of the long term project to improve Capitol’s library services, and funded by the salary savings of 2023 and the 2022 unappropriated surplus and the reverted and re-appropriated capital outlay.

Still on general services, another expenditure is readied for the P6.4 M repair and improvement of the Capitol annex Building, Tagbilaran City, to be implemented by the General Services Office and to be funded by the 2023 salary savings, 2022 unappropriated surplus, and the 2022 reverted and re-appropriated capital outlay

This year, Capitol is also set to establishment of the Gender and Development (GAD) Center of the Human Resource Management and Development Office, set at P 174,325.00.

To further equip Clarin Infirmary and Community Hospital, which is operated under the Provincial Government, some P1.4 is set as additional Funds for Medical and laboratory supplies for Clarin Community Hospital.

Capitol is also allocating P1.2M for the accountable forms of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office and the Additional Allocation to Support the Operation of Café Caloy set at P1.7M.

The supplemental budget is comprised of P35M in MOOE and P65M of Capital Outlay, which the committee finds important and in order.

For this, the committee recommends to pass a resolution approving such. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)