Capitol okays P749M budget for AIP
The Cebu Provincial Development Council has approved yesterday a budget of P749 million for the 2017 Annual Investment Plan (AIP).
However, the provincial government did not set aside a budget for solid waste management despite the pressing problem on garbage.
Governor Hilario Davide III explained that the Capitol has to prioritize first the construction of the provincial sanitary landfill in Barangay Dawis Sur, Carmen town before allocating budget for the town's solid waste management programs, in response to the query of Richard Navarro, vice chairman of Binlod Multipurpose Cooperative.
"Although we have not set aside budget for solid waste management program for the local government units, we are still willing to assist them in any way we can. But unahon sa nato ang province kay gisingil na pud 'ta sa DENR, for decades wa g'yud ta'y landfill. Mapahimuslan man pud 'na sa mga LGUs ilabi na sa norte," he said.
Davide admitted that the province is non-compliant with Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise known as the "Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000," that is why they are making interventions to correct it.
Records of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) show that only six out of 51 component cities and towns of Cebu have sanitary landfill. These are Talisay City and the towns of Asturias, Balamban, Consolacion, Cordova and Dalaguete.
However, there are 33 towns and cities in the province that have submitted a 10year solid waste management plan. These include Ronda, San Fernando, Carmen, Asturias, Daanbantayan, San Francisco, Moalboal, Oslob, Cordova, Argao and the cities of Carcar, Mandaue, Toledo, and Cebu City.
Only 36 percent or 545 LGUs nationwide have complied with all aspects of RA 9003 since its enactment 15 years ago.
Navarro lobbied for the construction of a material recovery facility and residual containment area in the barangays and towns pending the construction of a landfill in their respective areas.
He asked Davide if the province can help fund this project. Davide, for his part, assured to look into this.
During the Provincial Development Council (PDC) "Full Council" meeting at the Capitol Social Hall yesterday, the entire amount, P749 million, was approved by mayors and other sectoral representatives present.
Of the P749 million-budget, the province appropriated P8.7 million for environmental programs like the purchase of air quality equipment (P1.8 million), coastal resource management floating materials (P3.5 million) and speedboat/seacraft (P3.4 million).
The biggest allocation, P166 million, was also proposed in the AIP for the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management budget.
A chunk of the budget, P103 million, was set aside for various city, municipal and barangay projects, including the maintenance of street lighting system, construction of multi-purpose hall, and those listed under the Department of Interior and Local Government-Department of Budget projects.
Other items in the AIP include the P56.4-million budget for the establishment of provincial skills training center and Cebu cultural center; P33.23 million for food production, livelihood and entrepreneurship support program; P14 million for tourism infrastructure support, among others.
At least P135.13 million was allocated for roads and bridges construction and rehab, and the building of farmto-market roads.
P131.5 million was appropriated for the purchase of hospital, medical equipment and vehicle as well as for the construction, repair, or improvement of health facilities.
The council allotted P74 million for the payment of heavy equipment's principal and interest to be obtained through a P200-million Land Bank loan.
A budget of P12.034 million
Management was appropriated for the construction and rehabilitation of waterworks system and water catchment facility.
At least P15 million has also been set aside as counterpart fund for farm-to-market roads, water system and livelihood projects under the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).
The PRDP is a six-year project designed to modernize and make the agri-fishery sector climate-smart and market-oriented. It aims to raise incomes, productivity and competitiveness in the countryside.
The AIP will be incorporated into the proposed annual budget of the Capitol to be submitted to the PB by Davide. It is financed from the 20-percent development fund or P583 million derived from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of the Cebu provincial government.