Capitol’s P407-M investment plan gets approval

THE Cebu Provincial Development Council (PDC) yesterday approved Gov. Hilario Davide III’s proposed P407-million Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for 2014.

It is P45 million more than the one approved last year by the administration of former governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The biggest allocation is for roads, bridges and highway construction at P113 million.

A close second priority is “subsidy to local government units” or towns and component cities at P110.5 million.

The subsidy to be given is spread among the Office of the Governor (P65 million), the Office of the Vice Governor (P8 million) and the Provincial Board members (P37.5 million).

Almost half of the P113 million infrastructure plan or P53 million is for the purchase of heavy equipments.

Another P30 million is for farm to market roads.

Priorities were based on feedback in the Stakeholders Summit held last week, said Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino.

He said the AIP highlights Davide’s “five-star” agenda of health, food security and agriculture, economic opportunities in the countryside, environmental protection and disaster preparedness, and participatory and comprehensive masterplan.

The Local Government Code requires that the province should spend 20 percent of its share of national taxes or the Internal Revenue Allotment on development projects to be listed in the AIP.

For next year, the Capitol plans to spend P73 million for health projects, mostly for new hospital equipment worth P54 million.

Repairs for the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) get P12 million.

For food production and livelihood, the Capitol plans to spend P26 million for various programs including the construction of training centers, livestock market development and post harvest irrigation facilities.

Davide headed the PDC’s executives alongside Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale. Joining them were mayors from the province’s towns and cities, congressmen and representatives from nongovernment organizations (NGO) accredited by the Capitol.

The past Garcia administration allocated the biggest portion of the AIP in 2013 to social services with P70 million intended for the construction of hospitals and birthing centers./Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos