ILOILO – The province’s 2019 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) budget may be affected by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s (SP) dillydallying on Iloilo’s 2019 proposed P3.7-billion budget, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
The Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Iloilo requested for a P20.3-milliion budget from the provincial government for Iloilo’s participation in the WVRAA Meet.
The WVRAA would be held in Roxas City, Capiz from Feb. 13 to Feb. 17.
Under the Local Government Code, the SP could not take up other matters until it has acted on the proposed annual budget, said Defensor.
According to Gilbert Solidum, chief education supervisor, School Governance and Operations Division of the Division of Iloilo, the P20,379,000-million budget request would be for the 382 athletes’ training, housing, transportation, uniform, and food.
Also covered by the budget are 124 coaches, assistant coaches and chaperones, said Solidum.
Defensor chided the SP: “Kon gusto nila, hatagan nila sang kwarta ang aton athletes para ma-sige ang training. Hatagan nila sang kwarta bakal pagkaon. Kun gusto nila magbulig, sila na lang ang ma-athlete.”
While waiting for the budget’s release, Solidum said the help of local government units has been sought so that the athletes could start their training.
The SP’s appropriations committee chair Dorothy Paes, a barangay captain elected to the presidency of the provincial federation of the Liga ng mga Barangay, has been noncommittal on the approval of the province’s proposed 2019 budget. She said she wanted to study the proposed budget thoroughly first.
As of yesterday, the committee had so far tackled the proposed budgets of 12 district hospitals, Registry of Deeds, Parole and Probation Administration, Public Information and Community Affairs Office, Provincial Library and Archives, General Services Office, Provincial Auditor’s Office, Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Clerk of Court, and Regional State Prosecutor’s Office.
Over 40 offices of the provincial government were required to explain their 2019 budget proposals./PN
