SP clips guv's pork barrel fund, slashes double-funded Capitol projects
For asking the two biggest items in the Iloilo Provincial Government's 20% Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Development Fund (DF), a Legislative cut was made anew in the Capitol.
Contained in Committee Report No. 154, the Committee on Appropriations got a majority nod on a move expected to sow yet more conflict between the Executive and Legislative departments here.
And certain projects presented to the SP allegedly got double-fundings too, the Committee added, citing the Day Care Workers and Barangay Service Point Officers' assemblies as examples.
The two biggest items on the other hand reached a total of P45 million, comprising 26% of the total fund set at P176,483,925.
'They are pork barrel allocations because they are lump sum appropriations whose identification is entirely left to discretion of the Governor. They dwarf the proposed appropriation for agriculture which is only P7.5 million and the proposed appropriation for health which is P5.2 million. These, including other lump sum appropriations found in the proposed 20% IRA DF, violate the provisions of the afore-quoted Updated Budget Operations and Manual for Local Government Units," the Committee in its report went.
As such, the governor's planned expenditures saw yet another major make-over with the SP further providing for safeguards.
Loan obligations of over P50 million got the easy nod though of the SP body with said payments due following the government loans secured with the construction of the New Capitol building and purchase of the heavy equipment.
'Provided, that unless stated otherwise or authorized by an SP resolution, the foregoing projects shall be solely implemented by the beneficiaries, whether the municipality, barangay or cooperatives and/or associations as the case maybe. Provided further that no job hires shall be employed, hired or contracted in the implementation of the foregoing projects, if undertaken by the Iloilo Provincial Government, unless prior authority from SP shall have been secured pursuant to Section 77 of RA 7160. Provided, Finally that in all releases of items of appropriations contained in this 20% Internal Revenue Allotment Development Fund (20% IRA DF), prior SP resolutions authorizing the same shall be secured and the absence thereof shall render the same void," the Committee in its report ended.