DILG tells Provincial Board to enact 2013 budget

THE Provincial Board (PB) referred back the 2013 Provincial Budget to the committee on finance after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the body should enact the budget ordinance.

The regular session of the PB proceeded on Wednesday after receiving a letter from DILG Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta. It was in response to the query regarding the interpretation of Section 323 of the Local Government Code of 1991, specifically on the prohibition of taking up "other business" during the extended sessions in enacting the budget ordinance.

"It is important to note that the provision of the law is mandatory when it declared that the Board shall continue to hold sessions with no additional remuneration in order to enact the budget ordinance,” Trompeta said in a letter.

But the Board may take up other business during the extended sessions, especially in consideration of the exigency and importance of the other business based on the use of the permissive word "may."

However, the annual appropriation ordinance must be given priority, and as much as possible, no other business shall be taken up during the extended sessions.

The majority ruled against the minority anew through the 7-5 voting with one abstention when the house was divided on the move of Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko that the budget should be referred back to the Finance committee for a thorough review.

Those who voted with the majority were Board Members Ko, Patrick Lacson, Mae Javellana, Emilio Yulo III, Pedro Zayco, Helen Zafra and George Gitano while those were with the minority were Board Members Salvador Escalante, Nehemias Dela Cruz, Miller Serondo, Joben Alonzo and Melvin Ibañez.

Board Member Raul Rivera abstained.

Serondo, Ibanez and Dela Cruz moved that the budget has already passed through the committee deliberations and that the passage of the budget would incur more delays if it is referred back to the committee.

Ibañez said a committee report was already passed in the first reading. Serondo moved for the passage of the budget in second reading but an objection was raised by Ko.