Vintar still has no 2021 annual budget

Vintar municipal health officer Dr. Heidi Albano (standing, right) speaks to the members of the Sangguniang Bayan presided over by Vintar vice mayor Amado Victor Racimo (seated, left) on the Jan. 18, 2021 regular session regarding the plan of the said municipality for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.(Doms dela Cruz)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)

Vintar, Ilocos Norte—Of the 23 local government units (LGUs) in the province, Vintar is still among those few which has yet to pass its 2021 annual budget.

In an interview with Vintar Sangguniang Bayan member Arlene Ruadap, she disclosed that the proposed budget of said municipality for CY 2021 was still under review due to lack of documents needed and they are still incorporating additional items.

In the proposed budget, Ruadap, who chairs the committee on finance and appropriations, said the municipality of Vintar deemed it proper to incorporate financial assistance for the transport sector, like the tricycle and jeepney drivers because they were forced to stop operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that said appropriation was removed for this year’s proposal to include selected business sectors affected by the pandemic.

The SB also wishes to incorporate the unimplemented Kadiwa-style cooperative to be operated by the municipal government with a new scheme or refinement though it needs consultation with the business sectors considering that they will be selling with lower prices.

There is also a need to increase financial/cash incentives from PHP3,000 to PHP4,000 each but depending on the availability of funds of barangay officials, secretaries, treasurers, tanods, barangay health workers (BHWs), barangay tanods (BSPOs), barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) and employees from the national agencies including the Dept. of Education, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police and others in exchange for their sacrifices with the LGU’s programs and activities especially during this time of pandemic. They also plan to include the members of the “Lupong Tagapamayapa.”

But the most pressing issue was the unfinished projects wherein the LGU has only limited budget in terms of the 20 percent development fund which is only PHP45 million, “isut rason no apay a nagmimiting iti MDC ta kayat mi nga urnusen a nalaing tapnu makita no ana dagitay talaga a kasapulan,” Ruadap stressed.

 

Vaccine purchase

However, Ruadap disclosed that the municipality is ready in case the municipality needs funding for the purchase of vaccines for COVID-19 despite the proposed annual budget was not yet approved.

“Saan a rason a gapu a saan pay naaprubaran tay budget ket saan tayo mabalin nga agpa-reserve iti vaccines ta adda pundo a mabalin nga usaren ta no man kaspagarigan agkurang to tay aggapu iti national wennu provincial government, kaya iti munisipyo a gatangen amin a bakuna para kadagiti mayat a taga Vintar,” she emphasized.

 

Reenacted budget

Ruadap, nevertheless, clarified that there will be no problem if they operate on a reenacted budget as all of the municipal government’s operations will continue. She said municipal government employees will continue receiving their salaries but it will be the implementation of infrastructure projects that will stop.

 

Mayor asks for enlightenment

Relative to this, Vintar mayor Larisa Foronda decided not to comment with the still unapproved annual budget.

However, she admitted that her office inquired twice with the office of the Sangguniang Bayan on Jan. 5, 2021 with a follow up on Jan. 12, 2021 asking “enlightenment on the status of the proposed budget” as said proposed budget was submitted at the said office on Oct. 8, 2020.

The last letter signed by the mayor appealed to the Vintar council “to hasten the approval of the proposed budget for the LGU to promptly respond to the needs in meeting to the COVID-19 demands”.

“We are not only after the compliance to the Seal of the Good Local Governance protocols but more so, in various Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs) scheduled for CY 2021”, the mayor said.  

But as of Jan. 13, 2021, the Vintar council has yet to respond to the mayor’s letter.

 

Unapproved budget explained

On the Jan. 18, 2021 regular session, particularly during the other matters, Ruadap explained why the proposed budget was not yet approved by the Sangguniang Bayan so they would not continue blaming the legislative body.

She clarified that the reenacted budget does not in any way affect the continuous operation of the municipal government of Vintar except infra projects.

Vintar vice mayor and SB presiding officer Amado Victor R. Racimo, for his part, said the Sangguniang Bayan of Vintar has been supporting the programs, projects and activities of the present administration.

But in relation to the proposed annual budget, the Sanggunian noticed some lacking documents needed in support for its approval like program of works (POWs), site development plans, zoning clearances, environmental compliance certificate (ECC) on some infrastructure projects and a resolution of endorsement coming from the Local Development Council for the 20 percent development fund which is one of the most important in the executive budget submitted for its approval.

Racimo further disclosed that there was no allocated amount for COVID-19 vaccine in the proposed budget, however, there was an allocation only for PPEs, supportive gears, testing kits and others in fighting against the disease.

“Blessing in disguise ngarud ta gapu ta awan nailatang a para iti COVID vaccine intay saan pay a naaprubaran a budget, mabalin a baliwan mi toy nasao a budget tapnu adda mailatang para iti COVID vaccine,” Racimo noted.

Racimo has also sponsored a resolution requesting IATF-EID chief implementer Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. for the provision of anti-COVID- 19 vaccines for Vintar.

He said that Vintar has an allocation funds for vaccine procurement but due to inadequacy of funds, the sanggunian deemed it proper to request for augmentation whatever will be procured by the local funds. 

The vice mayor likewise answered the letters of Foronda saying only POWs were submitted. He reiterated instead that the deed of donation, proof of ownership, site development plan, zoning clearance, certificate of non-coverage are needed on the on-going small water impounding project (SWIP) at Brgy. Pallas Valley, which needs additional funding of PHP3 million.

He further stated in his response that the reason why the SB cannot act on the proposed budget was the absence of supporting documents to validate the need for the PPEs as requested.

“Serbisyo ti ub-ubraen mi ken saan a pammer-perdi wennu pamul-pulitika ti inaramid iti Sangguniang Bayan. Ma-praning dan sa met unay ket nakaad adayo pay ti election. Nasapa da ngamin a nagpul-pulitika dagitoy ta idi katugtugaw mi idi 2019 ket agpul-pulitika dan. Madanagan dan sa unay,” Racimo clarified on the present situation of the budget which allegedly has connection with politics.

Reacting to this, mayor Foronda said, “Kas ina ti umili sumurot tayo a ta awan mabalinen.” 

She added that there is no other way than to implement the reenacted budget, which the local government is now doing.

Foronda likewise said that the executive is willing to submit all the needed documents to the Sanggunian to once and for all solve the issue.

The mayor hoped and prayed that the proposed budget will be approved at the soonest possible time.

She then appealed the public to be more understanding with regards to some on-going infra projects that has not been implemented yet due to the reenacted budget. 

Record shows that the proposed estimated annual budget of Vintar for CY2021 was pegged at PHP241,146,630.94 compared for CY2020’s budget of PHP299,802,008.25.