Submit liquidation report by Aug. 31
Provincial Government imposes more requirements from village chiefs in applying for cash aid
THE Cebu Provincial Government is giving village chiefs until Aug. 31 to liquidate all cash assistance received or all future releases will be suspended until they comply with the requirements.
The Province also added more requirements from applicant-barangays before they can avail themselves of the financial assistance.
Village leaders must submit two sets of documents: liquidation documents duly stamped by the Provincial Accounting Office and the fund utilization report for infrastructure projects, which will be submitted to the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO). They are also required to submit a memorandum of agreement stating that they would be held liable if they fail to liquidate the funds or implement the project.
Such requirements surprised a barangay captain from Cebu’s northern part.
“Before it is considered, we are fully liquidated upon their (PPDO) acceptance of our supporting documents,” said Lanipga Barangay Captain Remegio Benitez in Carmen town.
Last March 2016, Benitez received P200,000 allocation for a barangay concreting project, which remains unliquidated.
Lanipga, a mountain barangay in Carmen, is 16 kilometers away from the town proper.
Benitez suggested that a meeting will be called to be attended by the Commission on Audit, Provincial Accounting Office, PPDO and members of the Provincial Board (PB) to discuss the new requirements and procedures that the village leaders need to comply for the release of the financial assistance.
“Nakalitan ang kabarangayan regarding all these new and additional requirements,” said Benitez.
PB Member Miguel Mag- pale said he already directed his community officers to disseminate these new requirements to barangay captains in his district.
Under the new requirements, barangay resolutions that seek to ask for financial assistance should be addressed to the Governor or Vice Governor, not to the PB.
Even barangay mountains are required to submit a program of work and estimates duly signed by the municipal engineer for infrastructure projects.
On instances that the village chief is not allied with the mayor and the municipal engineer is not cooperative, he/she has three other options: to request the Department of Public Works and Highway to do the program of work and estimates, request a private licensed engineer to do the job or seek the assistance of the provincial engineer.
The financial assistance for the towns and barangays are taken from the general fund proper, which is either granted by the Office of the Governor or the Office of the Vice Governor, and the 20 percent Development Fund and Special Education Fund, which is intended for infrastructure projects and programs of the Department of Education.