DESPITE the controversial opinion of the Department of Budget and Management on the creation of the Provincial Human Resource Department, the department head is not resigning from her post.

"Who is he to tell me to resign and be relieved from my position?" HR Department Head Annabelle Palic said in reaction to the statement of Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado.

Salado had said he wants Palic to be relieved after the DBM issued an opinion disallowing the creation of the Human Resource Department.

The relief of Palic will give the provincial government “fair play” on how to deal with DBM opinion, he said.

Palic said that she won't comment further because she has personally talked to DMB Regional Director May Chua, who said that the upgrading of their office is up to the concerned local government unit.

The DBM, in an opinion earlier, disallowed the creation of the HR department and all positions in the disallowed department as well as the appropriations for personnel services.

Governor-elect Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government will heed the DBM recommendation to revert the HR department to a division.

Salado said Palic’s relief is needed because she is "involved in it."

He said if not for the election ban on the May 13 elections, he could have recommended Palic's relief earlier.

"In the first place who is he (Salado) to press for my relief. He doesn't know the opinion of the DBM that's why I want to show it to the media when I come back today from Iloilo," Palic said.

She questioned the release of bonuses, which are funded by the province’s savings, if the province has exceeded its expenses.

She lamented that the DBM is just looking at the actual expense. If the provincial government indeed exceeded the appropriations, then the province cannot pass a supplemental budget.

"They should see first the content of the DBM opinion and determine the story surrounding such controversy," Palic said.