P23.5M oil spill rehab fund released to Guimaras
The provincial government of Guimaras recently received P23.5 million from Department of Agriculture (DA) as part of the national government's oil spill rehabilitation fund. The fund is intended for the livelihood program of Guimaras residents affected by last year's massive oil spill.
DA Regional Executive Director Larry Nacionales said the original budget request is P100 million but the national government reduced the funds to P65 million and later to P23.5 million.
The department and the provincial government of Guimaras have already forged a memorandum of agreement (MOA) regarding the turn-over of funds. The fund is specifically intended for livelihood programs such as vegetable farming, livestock and coconut production.
Nacionales said the provincial government must abide with the MOA. They could not divert the fund from any other projects. The projects are specific in order to avoid any duplications from regularly funded projects of the government.
The director failed to give the exact figures of the beneficiaries and on what municipality has the bigger slice of the fund. The beneficiaries of the project were identified by the municipal government units in the province, said Nacionales.