THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is stepping up its effort in making sure the implementation of almost P38 million worth of bottom-up budgeting (BUB) projects in Negros Occidental will be fully completed this year.
BFAR Western Visayas Assistant Regional Director Carlito Delfin, who led the consultative dialogue on infrastructure-related BUB funded fishery projects at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City yesterday, said the agency is currently following up with local government units (LGUs) the submission of their proposals and other documentary requirements.
Delfin, who also heads BFAR-Negros Occidental, pointed out that funds cannot be transferred or downloaded without these requirements, including tenurial instruments, list of beneficiaries and liquidation of previous projects, among others.
“The full implementation of BUB projects in the province before the year ends depends on the compliance of LGUs,” he said, adding that fast tracking the program for fiscal year 2015 to 2016 is one of the pressing concerns of the agency now.
BFAR-Negros Occidental records showed that of the P37.9 million BUB fund allocated for the province this year, P32.9 million or 87 percent is comprised by projects that are still on the proposal stage.
A total of P2.85 million, or seven percent covers pipeline projects, or those with downloaded funds and about to start the bidding and procurement process.
The remaining six percent amounting to P2.2 million is allocated for approved projects that have not started yet.
Also for this year, bigger bulk of the fund, or 66 percent, is intended for non-infrastructure projects like livelihood, fishing gears, and other soft technical assistance.
The other 34 percent is for infrastructures, including fish terminals (bagsakan), small scale fish processing plants, and cold storage facilities.
Four LGUs, which are among those implementing infrastructure projects, including Victorias City, Sipalay City, Cauayan and Sagay City, still have pending requirements.
During the dialogue, LGU officers and BUB focal persons said they are having difficulties in making the engineering designs of the projects.
“These requirements should be prioritized by LGUs so it will not delay the implementation,” Delfin said, adding that “failure to comply also deprives beneficiaries from availing the assistance from the national government.”