‘Realistic’ P2.59 billion Capitol budget okayed

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday approved what it called a  “realistic and conservative” P2.59 billion budget for the province next year.
The  2014 budget is lower by more than P600 million than  this year’s annual budget.
A big chunk of the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) was allocated for   “Assistance, Subsidy to Local Government Units (LGUs) on Capital Expenditure Projects.”
This item  wasn’t present in the 2012 and 2013 annual budget. The new outlay  was given P110.5 million.
Meanwhile, the  outlay  for outsourced health personnel services is higher by more than P13 million.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III earlier  vowed to stop the practice of  outsourcing personnel in Cebu’s provincial and district hospitals and to shift to  hiring a regular plantilla for medical staff in his administration.
There was no immediate explanation for the increased outlay for outsourced staff.
The annual budget was passed on third and last reading in yesterday’s regular PB session.
It is lower than this year’s budget of P3.25 billion of  the administration of former governor and now Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district.
“If we slash some of the items, it would no longer t make sense based on the justification that they made,”  said PB Member  Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero, who heads the committee on budget and appropriations.
The budget for  salaries for outsourced personnel in professional health services went up  from P119 million in 2013 to P132 million next year.
A  P33 million outlay for  outsourced janitorial services this year was retained. The budget for outsourced security personnel went up by P500,000 compared to  P26.5 million   last year.
The outlay for  transportation and infrastructure nearly doubled from P60 million to P113 million.  The budget for food production and livelihood activities went up by more than P20 million. Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos