ILOILO – Five projects in this province under the Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (LGSF-SBDP NTF ELCAC) were not implemented in 2021.
Allotted a total of P13 million by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), these were:
* development of tourism potential areas (concreting of local access road) in Igcabugao, Igbaras
* additional working capital for business sectors in Igpaho, Tubungan
* rehabilitation of barangay health center in Igpaho, Tubungan
* construction of additional building for Grade 7 in Igpaho, Tubungan
* construction of storage room for farm products in Igdampog Norte, Tubungan
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. cited some reasons why the five projects funded by NTF- ELCAC were not implemented. The governor said there are no interested bidder or no taker while other projects have failure of bidding.
Another reason cited by the governor was time constraint to implement the project which is until Dec. 31, 2022 from April 2021 when the fund was downloaded.
The DBM downloaded a P720-million fund to Iloilo on April 2021 for the implementation of 165 projects, most of which were farm-to-market roads.
As of Dec. 31, 2022, 91 projects were completed, 69 were ongoing, and five were not implemented.
The provincial government is preparing to return the unused budget.
However, Defensor requested DBM secretary Amenah Pangandaman last week for an extension of the deadline to allow ongoing projects to be completed.
The governor also raised the possibility of the provincial government shouldering the expenses to continue the ongoing projects and push through with the five unimplemented projects if the DBM will not allow the extension.
“We are preparing to continue with the project, except nga ginhimu ta ang tanan nga magpangayo ta liwat from the national government,” said Defensor.
Out of the P720-million fund, P181 was not utilized; it would be subjected to return to the DBM instead, said Provincial Planning and Development Office head Mario Nillos./PN
