Eastern Samar town mayor cites need to sustain Aquino dev’t programs

GIPORLOS, Eastern Samar, April 22 (PNA) -– The mayor in this economically-depressed town has expressed reservation over possibilities of discontinuing the good programs of the present administration by a next president not anointed by President Benigno C. Aquino III.

Mayor Mark Biong, who is seeking for re-election and running under Liberal Party, said that only Mar Roxas presidency, would ensure sustainability of what Aquino had started.

“What I’m afraid for is when the change of administration comes, they will discontinue the good programs of the present administration,” he added.

Among this is the bottom-up budgeting (BuB) program that encouraged community participation. Biong said that it helps their fifth class town given their meager budget internal revenue allotment (IRA) shares.

Giporlos, an agricultural and fishery town with more than 14,000 residents, gets PHP52 million IRA share from the national government every year.

Of the PHP52 million IRA, only 20 percent is being use to fund development projects.

"That amount is not even enough to fund infrastructure projects. The BuB really helped in the economic development of IRA dependent towns,” said Biong.

For 2016, the town has PHP16 million BUB funds for construction of farm-to-market roads.

Aside from BuB, the mayor also lauded the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), a community-driven development program of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The town received PHP10 million worth of Kalahi-CIDSS projects for 18 villages. The local government unit provides 10 percent share as counterpart to the projects identified by the community.

Biong added that people who are tagging these projects as an strategy to sway voters, should understand that it is government’s job to help local government units to attain development. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA