P100M for Cordova reclamation, ports
A P100 million outlay was approved yesterday by the Cebu Provincial Board for major reclamation and port projects in Cordova town and north Cebu.
The amount is part of a 2011 supplemental budget in the amount of P208,233,000.
It said the P100 million fund will be used for the “Airport/Seaport and Other Economic Enterprise Site Development Program.”
The program includes the Cordova Reclamation Project, Daanbantayan roll-on roll-off Port and the Camotes Airport.
In September last year, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the Capitol would undertake a 10-hectare reclamation project in Cordova following her meeting with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy.
Meanwhile, the supplemental budget also returns to the legislative branch funds for personnel services of 11 PB members.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said the budget was from the office of the governor that are being transferred to the legislative department.
The transfer restores salaries for 11 employees of the board members and returns unspent pork barrel funds of some PB members from last year.
The budget of the vice governor’s office was placed under the governor last year, a move that deepened a rift with the late Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr.
Governor Garcia, in an earlier interview, said she offered to return the legislative budget even before Magpale took her oath as vice governor.
However, staff appointments of the vice governor’s office are still subject to Garcia’s approval.
When Magpale took over the no. 2 post following Sanchez’s death in May, she assured she would regain the appointing power and budget of the legislative department and the vice governor’s office.
Meanwhile the balance of P108.2 million in the supplemental budget will be used for several purposes—a five-percent lump sum of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund worth P5,638,000 and Provincial Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) worth P25,789,000.
There is P7.26 million for general administration and suppport services of the office of the vice governor, P46,653,000 for PDAF and P22,890,000 for the general administration and support services of Provincial Board members. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus
