IRA Up By P20-M

By Ulysses Espartero

The Aklan Provincial Budget Office headed by Mary Grace Macahilas reported an increase of P58 million for 2007.
"We are pleased to inform you that the national government has increased our new IRA allotment share in the amount of P367,675,848 million, higher compared to 2005 of only about P309 million," Gov. Carlito S. Marquez said.
This is a welcome development, enthused Marquez, especially now that the provincial government is serious in the implementation of projects and programs funded through appropriation ordinances.
Lawyer Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino said approval of the Annual Executive Budget of the General Fund for 2007 and the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) for 2007 took the provincial board three days marathon sessions.
"Passage of these two most important documents had been very meticulous and were approved after lengthy debates among the members of the august body," Tolentino added.
The provincial government’s General Fund budget as provided in Appropriation Ordinance No. 06-006 carries a total appropriation of P420,259,032 while Appropriation Ordinance No. 06-007 which enacted the EEDD budget for 2006 carries a total appropriation of P243,985,667 or a total of P664,244,699. Financial analysts said the 2007 is the biggest budget so far in the history of Aklan.
The Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan also approved P73,161,225 budget for programs and projects to be funded under the 20 percent Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Development Fund for 2007.
"A total of P35 million of the 20 percent IRA Development Fund will go to General Services sector which includes contractual, statutory and special projects and activities, P4.7 million for social development and P33.4 million to economic development," Marquez revealed.
"In our revenue projections for 2007 under the General Fund, our provincial government has an IRA share of 87 percent while local revenues composed of operating and miscellaneous revenues and local taxes account for 13 percent," he added./MP