Unreasonable and illegal, Tupas says of budget cut
Tupas Sr.
Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. insisted that the slashing by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of the over P1 billion Executive Budget of the province is unreasonable and illegal.
Tupas said he will sit down with his legal panel to study possible counter-actions that they will take against the move of the SP.
Tupas lamented that the budget cuts would cripple the operations of the provincial government.
Last week the SP Committee on Appropriations chaired by Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico recommended for a major cut on the over P1 billion budget proposed by Gov. Tupas.
The legislative slash reaching over P139 million placed this year's budget at P861,189,878,77.
Suplico explained that the budget cut was necessary because it has been observed that the provincial government has been spending public money irresponsibly.
One of the highlights of the budget cut is the slashing of budget allocation for the position Executive Assistant IV being held by the governor's wife Myrna and Executive Assistant II held by Levy Buenavista purportedly "to streamline the plantilla of the Office of the Governor."
Appropriations for the positions of Provincial Administrator, being held by Manuel Mejorada, and Provincial Legal Officer, Atty. Salvador Cabaluna, were also deleted after the two officials failed to get confirmation from the SP.
Suplico also slashed the P43.2 million discretionary fund of the Governor's office, which include the P1 million intelligence fund.
Tupas assailed Suplico's move saying the budget cut is detrimental to the operations of the provincial government.
Tupas also said that the so-called streamlining of the Governor's office is not within the powers of the SP.
"Streamlining is an executive function," the governor said.
Tupas also clarified that the budgeting of the province is governed by the Local Government Code and the different circulars of the Department of Budget and Management.
"Maybe he (referring to Suplico) thinks he is still congressman," Tupas said, adding "he wants to show that the vice governor is more powerful than the governor."
On his part, Suplico said that he is just doing his job.
"I did everything within the confines of the power given to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan," Suplico said.
"It will do well for the province of Iloilo if he (referring to Gov. Tupas) is reading the Local Government Code," the vice governor added.
In Suplico's committee report it was explained that the recommendations were made after the committee's deliberations where "in several instances, chiefs of offices or their representatives failed to appear despite due notice."
The absences were duly noted that further pushed the committee to highlight its observation.
"…the Committee learned later that the chiefs of hospitals were just in the Capitol building or in Iloilo City…"excerpts of the report went. "The Office of the Governor was represented by the Provincial Administrator whose appointment as such remained unconfirmed as of this time….Thus, nobody appeared to justify the budget of the Office of the Governor. Moreover, the Provincial Engineer had several excuses when invited to executive sessions giving the impression that he does not want to attend the said sessions."