PB allows gov to sign deal on Guingona ‘pork’

THE Cebu provincial government is a step closer to getting its hands on Senator Teofisto Guingona’s pork barrel allocation that was not expended by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas.

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday approved a resolution authorizing Gov. Hilario Davide III to enter into an agreement with the DSWD-7 for the transfer of funds from Senator Guingona’s 2012 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The resolution sponsored by Appropriations and Budget Committee chairperson Grecilda Sanchez was unanimously approved by the body.

Guingona through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P20 million to DSWD-7 to fund projects under the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi CIDSS) project in Cebu province last year.

However, DSWD-7 only spent P2 million from this allocation. This was used to buy rice for indigenous families in Danao.

Because of a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court freezing the release of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), the Capitol can only utilize the remaining P18 million from the funds that Guingona coursed through DSWD-7 according to Ramil Abing, Davide’s chief of staff.

Abing said the fund allocation will be used for the Capitol’s social welfare programs.

He said Guingona’s office has also given the go signal to DSWD to transfer the funds to the Capitol coffers.

“The local government unit of Cebu is mandated to provide social services to the different individuals especially those who are seeking assistance,” it said. /Peter L. Romanillos, Correspondent