ILOILO City – The Liga ng mga Barangay in Cabatuan, Iloilo urged the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to pass the proposed P3.7-billion provincial budget for 2019.
The Liga led by Barangay Talanghuan captain Rafaela Jiloca approved Resolution No. 2019-02, which aired its members’ concern over the delay in passing the 2019 provincial budget.
The delay “greatly affects the provincial government and hampers the growth and development of the barangays in particular,” the resolution said.
It added that the approval of the budget is “badly needed,” especially for development projects across the province.
Mayor Ronilo Caspe forwarded a copy of the resolution to the SP on Feb. 7.
Caspe has urged the SP to pass the proposed budget during the regular meeting of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines in Iloilo at the Governor’s Board Room on Feb. 1.
According to Caspe, the delay in passing the provincial budget does not only affect capitol employees but towns as well.
He earlier said municipal governments cannot fully fund some projects, the reason that they have to ask assistance from the provincial government.
Cabatuan, for example, needs financial aid from the provincial government for the facilities to be used during the congressional sports meet in the third quarter of the year, said Caspe.
He added that the financial aid should be released this February, before the start of the campaign period, so that they can start building the facilities.
“Imagine, ma-lift ang banning sa June. So, kon dira kami ma-umpisa obra basi kulangon kami sang oras nga mapahuman ang mga kinahanglanon nga facilities,” Caspe said.
The SP Committee on Appropriations led by Liga ng mga Barangay Federation president Dorothy Paes is scheduled to finish deliberating the 2019 budget on March 1./PN
