Cebu solons back budget reforms

TWO Cebu solons welcomed the move by the House of Representatives allowing legislators to use up to P24.5 million in the General Appropriations Fund to fund five priority infrastructure projects.

But Cebu City south district Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa said he will not rely solely on this.

The neophyte congressman revealed that he will use all of the P24.5 million on building medical facilities for indigent patients such as a hospital in the mountain barangay of Bonbon and a drug rehabilitation center in Labangon.

For Cebu 5th District Rep. Joseph Ace Durano, the barangays in his district will benefit from the proposed arrangement but he reiterated the need for appropriation especially for scholarships and medical assistance.

“This will be welcomed by the barangays for this budget will fund their requested infrastructure projects. However, there is still a need to appropriate for the scholarship and medical assistance programs which our constituents are still hoping for,” he said.

Under the new arrangement, congressmen would propose five infrastructure projects each, with a budget ceiling of P24.5 million per legislator. The DPWH will be the implementing agency.

Congress has formally removed from the budget the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) worth P25.2 billion, including Vice President Jejomar Binay’s P200 million discretionary fund. /Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos