Davide braces for Capitol payables; meets officials
Cebu Governor-elect Hilario Davide III said he was bracing for his first big Capitol administrative challenge – how to deal with almost P200 million in payables.
This was the top concern told to him yesterday when he was introduced to Capitol department heads in their regular Monday meeting.
He asked acting provincial treasurer Emmanuel Guial to prepare a detailed report.
“I promised the Cebuanos that when I start taking office, I would have this (report) published so that everyone will see what is the financial state of our province,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Board in its session approved a resolution commending the Commission on Elections in Cebu for a “successful local elections” after noting that there were no reports of casualties or cases that would lead to election failure.
Three days after his proclamation, Davide III stepped into the Capitol for a preliminary orientation before his term officially starts on July 1.
After Monday’s flag-raising ceremony, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale presided in the start-of-the-week department heads meeting.
She invited Davide to meet some of the officials who talked about their concerns.
“There are a lot of policies involved,” said Magpale who said the early introduction would help “so that he can think about it for a month. I asked each head to make a report and I also shared with Davide the situations I faced as acting governor for a few months,” said Magpale who assumed last Dec. 18, 2012.
“I will be able to pass all the problems to the new governor,” Magpale said.
Davide is scheduled to rest for a few days from the grueling campaign and then go around the towns and cities thanking supporters before officially tackling his new role.
The biggest concern remains an estimated P200 million in unpaid obligations which surfaced when Magpale took over as acting governor and was presented with bills in December last year.
While she agreed before to pay some critical accounts on a staggered basis, she said the bulk of the payables would have to be left for the decision of whoever is elected governor.
The bills include payables for food catering, contractors, janitorial and medical staff services, and P68 million for new Suroy Suroy buses.
She said they already finished discussions with seven department heads but will schedule a “one-on-one” meeting with Provincial Planning and Development Officer, Engr. Adolfo Quiroga who has signified his plan to retire and acting Provincial Treasurer Emmanuel Guial.
Davide, in an interview after the meeting, said the top concern waiting for him is the Capitol’s payables.
He said he also asked department heads for their cooperation because his administration has a “mandate to fulfill for Cebuanos.” Davide said he will visit the cities and towns around Cebu to meet his constituents.
He and other officials will assume their new posts on July 1.
The governor-elect said the Capitol’s payables was the biggest concern presented by the provincial planning office.
“The bulk water project in Carmen town, the Filinvest project in Apas, barangay Lahug, and some other departments. Principally, the payables of the provincial government, that was among the concerns that came out,” he said.
Magpale said the Capitol already accumulated around P300 million in budget sources but this will be spent on the payment of priority basic services.
She said the province cannot afford to pay all of the pending payables together, some of which date back to 2008.
“There are even past projects with payables that have no authority from the Provincial Board,” she said.
Magpale said Davide would also have to ask help from the national government to pay some of the obligations . Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos
