Escalante welcomes Pace legal action

BOARD Member Salvador Escalante welcomed on Tuesday any legal move planned by the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (Pace) about the non-release of the last tranche of their salary increase and additional bonus.

Escalante, chairperson of the Provincial Board (PB) committee on finance and appropriations, said it is okay with him if Pace brings up the matter legally should the PB fail to approve the 2013 budget after 90 days.

The 90 days period, as stipulated in Section 323 of the Local Government Code of 1991, for the PB to approve the budget will end this month.

Pace president Ruben Diamante earlier said that if the budget is not passed after 90 days, the union is considering legal action against the board.

Escalante admitted that the Provincial Government is now using a reenacted budget. He said, however, that the “law does not say that the budget will be disapproved after the lapse of the 90 day period."

Escalante's statement is being backed by Board Member Emilio Yulo III, vice-chairperson of the PB committee on finance who is an ally of Alvarez.

Yulo also said the 90-day period does not in any manner prevent the PB from approving the budget.

Escalante said the PB will have to decide on whether to approve the budget or not.

The board’s finance committee is expected to resume Wednesday morning the deliberation of the budget of five Capitol departments and offices before holding their regular session in the afternoon.

Pace is calling for the passage of the 2013 budget by the PB, so the Capitol employees can be paid their salary increases and P20,000 bonus each, which they expected in January.

After the lapse of the 90-day period, Escalante said the PB may take up other matters aside from the budget during their regular session. (TDE)