SP mulls over P48M add'l Capitol budget

By Florence F. Hibionada
Correspondent

P1.5 million in additional “donations” of the governor. P3.5 million in additional gasoline, oil and lubricant expense of the Provincial Engineer's Office. New expense of over P2.3 million for the governor's new car. More new expense of over P1.6 million for new firearms. And over P540,000 in anti-riot equipment.

Such and more comprise the latest request for yet more Capitol budget as sought by Governor Niel Tupas and now pending before the Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP). With the matter officially presented in Tuesday's regular session, the latest request for supplemental budget reached a total of P48,615,061.55.

Referred to the SP Committee on Appropriations, the breakdown of said request further laid down over P1.8 million in additional food supplies expense of the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) and the governor's additional subsidy to local government units of P1.5 million.

Other than the planned purchase for the governor's new vehicle, the offices of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and the Provincial Cooperative and Development Office (PCDO) will also see new cars valued at P980,000 each if the SP gives the nod to the P48 million supplemental budget.

In just about the same amount intended for the new car of one office alone comes the supplemental budget intended for the upgrading program of three government hospitals.

Other justifications on the multi-million added Capitol expense are special projects of the Iloilo Provincial Government which include P296,000 in maintenance and operating expenses of the Task Force on Illegal Sand and Gravel Quarrying and another million for “Programs and projects for governance agenda.”