Guv's P240M supplemental budget deferred

THE Provincial Board deferred Wednesday the deliberation of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.'s proposed P240 million supplemental budget for further action and scrutiny.

Board Member Salvador Escalante, chairman of the budget and finance committee, moved the deferment.

Escalante's committee has already made a report about the supplemental budget but members of the committee still have to sign the report.

Included in the supplemental budget is the request for authority to negotiate for a loan with the Land Bank of the Philippines for the Negros First Cyber Center Phase 2​​ ​​for P170 Million; Construction of the PAC Annex Bldg.​​​​ - P50 Million and for the Construction of the 6 -classroom building of NOHS​​​​​ - P 10,160,454.00.

The Board, however, approved Wednesday the proposed resolution creating a Task Force that will negotiate with the Philippine National Bank - Bacolod City for the utilization of the vacant office space at the PNB Building in Lacson Street by the Provincial Government. 

BACOLOD. Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez and Board Members Miller Serondo (center) and Salvador Escalante (right) answer questions from the media Wednesday about the controversial P240M Supplemental Budget pending before the Provincial Board. (Teresa D. Ellera)

Escalante moved for the creation of the Task Force after the committee deemed it best to look for other alternative remedies. The committee finds it reasonable to spend a lesser amount for renovation instead of the requested amount. 

In the alternative, the committee suggested to negotiate with PNB on the use of vacant office spaces in its building for the needed offices of the province. For this purpose, the Committee recommends the need for the creation of a Task Force to negotiate with PNB on the matter.

In the proposed budget for the Phase II of the Cyber Center, Escalante the committee finds the project feasible because despite the investment cost of P620 million, the Province of Negros Occidental still stands to earn at least about P41 million net income during the re-payment period.

He further stated in his report that the Committee finds the project favorable and beneficial to the welfare of the community and to the Province of Negros Occidental as a whole, because of the socio-economic benefits derived therefrom. Such benefits include generation of job and livelihood opportunities to the Negrense families, influx of business opportunities to small and medium scale entrepreneurs and attract foreign investments that would make Bacolod City and Negros Occidental as viable ICT hubs for BPOs.

Further, with jobs to be generated from the project, our graduates and professionals will no longer go unemployed or seek employment abroad or elsewhere.

Escalante further cited that in terms of jobs, in 15 years, the provincial government stands to earn P14 billion for at least 5,250 employees and P131 million in terms of rentals for 15 years.

​About the construction of six additional classrooms for NOHS, Escalante said that in a letter dated March 5, 2012, Mr. Mario S. Amaca, the Principal of NOHS, requested the Provincial Governor, Hon. Alfredo G. Marañon, Jr., for the construction of six (6) classrooms in addition to the 24 classroom building constructed by the Provincial Government because the recent ocular inspection revealed that the existing five (5) classrooms are in dilapidated condition that could pose danger and harm to the students and teachers.

​While the construction of additional 6-classroom is no longer part of the Compromise Agreement with Dep-Ed, notwithstanding the province is not precluded from undertaking further developments of the school intended to ensure the health and safety of the schoolchildren and teachers who are placed under hazardous situations.

Indeed the expenditure of the 6-classrooms is in line with the thrust and fundamental objectives of the government towards public service and in keeping with the Negros First Development Agenda on strong support for education, Escalante said.

The SP is set to hear from the Provincial Engineering Office the detailed technical information about the Phase 2 of the Cyber Park and the additional classrooms for NOHS.