Aklan SP Completes Review of 2013 Budget

by ODON S. BANDIOLA

On Thursday, Nov. 22, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan, through its Committee on Appropriations, Finance and Ways and Means chaired by SP member Selwyn C. Ibarreta has completed the review of budget proposals of six (6) provincial government departments. This  includes the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and the Public Attorney’s Office, national government agencies which claim part of its maintenance and operating expenses from the province’s budget.

The operation of these offices are funded under the General Fund Budget of the Aklan provincial government which carries a total appropriation for 2013 of P684.112 million.

General Fund and Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) budgets for 2013 provides for P1.19 billion appropriations.

The SP last Thursday recommended approval the budgets of the Office of the Provincial Governor, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Budget Office, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Provincial Accounting Office, Provincial Human Resource Management Office, Provincial Prosecutors Office and Public Attorney’s Office.

Although the Provincial Governor exercises full control of the budget appropriations of all executive and EEDD offices, the Office of the Provincial Governor alone has an exclusive total budgetary appropriation of P172.301 million.

Of the total 2013 allocation for the Office of the Provincial Governor, included are appropriations for Subsidy to LGUs in the total amount of P25.25 million, subsidy to NGO/POs of P3 million, donations of P14 million, scholarship program of P7 million, indigency program of P25.087 million, intelligence expenses of P9 million and sports development program of P2 million.

The review of the P10.828 million budget of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist was likewise completed. Income earning programs and projects of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist such as the rice hybridization program, Lambaklad projects, fruit and tree plantations, livestock farms, among others, had been transferred to the EEDD- Agri Aqua Services.

Budget proposal of other departments already reviewed by the SP are: Prov’l. Human Resource Management Office-P9.322 million; Prov’l. Budget Office-P9.402 million; Prov’l. Treasurer’s Office-P16.691 million; Prov’l. Accounting Office-P16.472 million; Prov’l. Prosecutor’s Office-P0.65 million; and, Prov’l. Attorney’s Office P0.726 million.  /MP