Saturday, October 11, 2008 PB resets hearing on supplemental budget anew
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- The Provincial Board (PB) Friday reset the hearing on the proposed supplemental budget of the province amounting to P20,316,673.
Talks on Proposed Ordinance No. 237 was suspended as the executive department's representative failed to satisfy the queries of the PB's committee en banc relative to the release of funds for the capitol intended for quarry monitoring operations.
The proposed ordinance seeks to appropriate the balance of the General fund for salaries of Biyaya A Luluguran At Sisikapan (Balas) checkers.
Vice Governor Joseller "Yeng" Guaio approved the motion of Board Member Chris Garbo to continue the deliberations on the proposed ordinance to the board's next regular session on Monday.
Guiao directed Acting Provincial Treasurer Pia Quibal to submit to the PB "justification" and a formal comprehensive report on the plunge of quarry collections the past few months.
Quibal represented the executive department by virtue of a letter of authorization sent by Governor Eddie Panlilio to the PB.
Also present in the meeting were Benjie Yuson from the Provincial Accountant's Office, quarry monitoring supervisors Jose Daquil and Hermelo Lising, and the dismissed Balas personnel led by Fil Rodriguez.
Quibal told Guiao and other board members that she could not answer queries regarding the executive department's request for the supplemental budget as she was designated acting treasurer just recently.
She added that she has not really been privy on matters including the probable causes of the plunge in quarry collections.
A 35 percent or about P25 million in quarry collections have been posted from July to September this year.
The PB has recently been on the trail of alleged anomalies blamed for the continued decline in the province's main revenue.
Quibal said no preparations were made by her office or the executive department to merit the approval of their request for P45 million in Balas funds or the plea for the supplemental funds.
Guiao reiterated that half of that requested budget or P22.5 million has been released by the provincial board even without justification.
"Because we knew it was direly needed for the subsequent delivery of basic services," the vice governor said.
According to Quibal, the accountability for the Balas funds has been transferred from the executive department to the treasurer's office.
She however said that the supervision of quarry operations is still under the executive department.
The salary level of quarry checkers remained at salary grade 1 and no Balas personnel received a salary higher than the salary grade, she added. (Jovi T. De Leon)
