NEWS: P624.5 M Davnor budget for 2009 OKd

Still  no PDAF pork for VG, BMs

nov 11
A total of P624.5 million annual budget for year 2009 was approved yesterday by the Davao del Norte  Sangguniang Panlalawigan without still an item Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which has been considered as the pork barrel fund of provincial board members.

Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio, in an interview with Sidlak after the SP budget approval, said that the budget is “reflective of the real needs of the the province” adding that he has no regrets that it has no PDAF for the SP members including for himself.

“Mao gyud na ang tama, ang amo lang is to legislate,” he added.
He said that due to limited funds the legislative department is with Governor Rodolfo del Rosario in concentrating funds for his priority programs under the RDR wheels strategy of governance.

He said though that for the next year the SP has also no capital outlay and almost the same budget for the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) compared to this year.

In the approved budget, Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) got the usual bulk of the budget in terms of personal services (PS, which is for salaries and wages) and MOOE across offices, seizing up about 13 percent or P81,060,617 of the total Capitol’s budget of P624,504,612 for 2009.

The PGO’s budget is further boosted by budget allocations across various fund accounts and services such as the P20.8-million general fund for regular programs and various services listed under the 20-percent development fund.
Under the general public services of the 20-percent development fund, the governor has P17,168,000 for the peace and order program, from which the confidential intelligence fund (IF) is pegged.

The IF budget is computed to be either 30 percent of the total peace and order appropriation, or 1 percent of the annual budget, whichever is lower, or hence Gov. Del Rosario has P5.15 million intel fund for next year.

Besides, the PGO has also P28 million for universal Philhealth coverage
of the P38.7 million for health services, P11 million for other general public services, P61.2 million for various economic services, among others.
On the other hand, the Vice Governor’s Office and the SP offices have only a budget of P15,261,550 and P30,998,586, respectively, or a total of  P46,260,136 for the legislative department’s PS and MOOE. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com