Nueva Ecija: Umali to veto budget

PALAYAN CITY- Gov. Aurelio M. Umali will veto the P1.07 billion 2008 budget approved by the provincial board which is over P325 million short of the proposed P1,400,117,806, a ranking official said on Thursday.

The official said the budget cut was detrimental to the interest of Novo Ecijanos since the slashed amount was intended for basic social services as well as education and health programs.

Based on the transmittal made by Sangguniang Panlalawigan secretary, lawyer Bembol Castillo, the Appropriaton Ordinance 02-2008 allocated P1,074,613,945 out of the general fund of the province for this year.The SP used the phrase “set aside and transferred to un-appropriated balance” for the proposed amount that are not approved. It also stated in some cases: “subject to later appropriation upon justification of its utilization..”

Of the P325 million slashed from the proposed budget, P84 million was for the capital outlay of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office while P50-million was for Special Purpose Fund and P21 million intended for intelligence fund and confidential expenses. The SP also withheld budget for the maintenance and operating expenses of the Civil Security Services, Provincial Action and Monitoring Office, the Provincial Engineering Office and radio dwNE.

The official noted that the budget slashed from the PSWDO are for financial assistance from the provincial government such as mortuary and social services.The scholars who actually first availed of the support under the previous administration will also be adversely affected, he said. The province has about 5,000 scholars, it was learned.