Capitol File Photo
THE 14th Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved the Cebu provincial government’s proposed 2017 budget in the amount of P3.6 billion.
During its last regular session for the year yesterday afternoon, the Provincial Board unanimously approved on its second and third reading the proposed 2017 annual budget of P3,622,590,799.55, which will be taken from the general fund. The biggest chunk of the proposed budget will be for hospital operations which is P881.9 million, higher than the P646 million budget in 2016.
The Capitol’s executive department also asked to increase the budget for medical supplies from P23 million in 2016 to P30 million next year.
The proposed 2017 budget includes, among others, P488 million for the Provincial Health Office, P614.8 million for the Office of the Governor, P135 million for the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, P166 million for the Provincial Disaster Risk the Reduction and Management Office, P118 million for the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, P109 million for the Provincial Agriculture Office, and and P34 million for the Provincial Veterinary Office.
The executive’s total proposed budget of P3.6 billion is only about P200 million higher than their approved budget this year, which is P3.4 billion.
In addition to the approval of the 2017 annual budget, the provincial board likewise approved the granting of authority to Governor Hilario Davide III to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Cebu City government on the province-owned properties.
Last December 7, a “ceremonial” signing of the MOA was made between Davide and Mayor Tomas Osmeña at the Plaza Sugbo. Under the MOA, the city government will provide assistance to the province by donating city-owned properties.
The province, in turn, will transfer to the city the unpaid portions of the properties under Ordinance 93-1 as well as three parcels of land — a portion of the province’s property inside the Department of Agriculture (DA) compound, with an area of 1.5 hectares, another one along Gorordo Avenue, with an area of 2,358 square meters, and one in Don Gil Garcia Street in Barangay Capitol Site, with an area of 577 square meters.
For the city’s part, they will transfer to the province its Block 27 properties, located in North Reclamation Area (NRA) with an area of 3.3 hectares; the Septage Treatment Plant, consisting of 13,711 square meters; and city abattoir with 2,476 square meters, also in NRA; a portion of the city’s South Road Properties consisting of 2.5 hectares; the city’s Pulpogan Property located in Consolacion, Cebu with an area of nine hectares.
In addition to the property swap mentioned, it was also provided under the agreement that the final settlement of the civil case filed by the city against the province involving a property inside the DA compound will be initiated, and the Cebu City Zoo, consisting of 7 hectares, will be turned over to the province.
According to Magpale, the province’s properties amounting to around P800 million is more than what the city would exchange in the land swap deal.
However, considering that there are still informal settlers on the properties set to be swapped by the province to the city, Magpale said she was satisfied with the deal as the properties that would be received by the province in exchange are essentially ready to be developed.
“Ako mismo, usa ko sa mi-question kay gipa-compute man na nako sa atong treasurer,” she said.
“Morag short of P800 million. Ug imong peso for peso, kanang valuation pero ingon ang treasurer nga pero ma’am, huna-hunaa nga naa lagi P800 million pero wa pay sigurado gani na because that is really full of informal settlers ato pang i-relocate, awayonon pa. These properties that we have now in exchange are ready for a public-private partnership or whatever.”