Leyte gets big chunk of budget for Eastern Visayas in 2015 – NEDA report

TACLOBAN CITY, March 28 (PNA) -- Leyte province got the biggest junk of the budget for projects among the six provinces in Eastern Visayas as of fourth quarter of 2015, largely due to massive government-led post-Yolanda reconstruction.

The most populated province in the region got 769 projects, with a total worth of PHP10.01 billion. 

The figure accounts 40 percent of the region’s total outlay, according to the National Economic Development Authority’s (NEDA) regional project monitoring and evaluation system (RPMES) report.

The region’s six provinces received at least PHP24.9 billion investment from the central government for the implementation of 1,326 projects, mostly for infrastructure development.

Eastern Samar, another Yolanda-hit province, got the second biggest share at PHP8.18 billion or a share of 32.8 percent. The province was a recipient of 270 projects.

High poverty incidence in Northern Samar prompted the central government to pour more investments. The province came in third, with a budget share of 11 percent for 69 projects costing PHP2.68 billion.

Other provinces in the region got a smaller share - Samar (PHP2.57 billion), Southern Leyte (PHP894.16 million), and Biliran (PHP576.15 million).

The region got a total funding of PHP27.86 billion, but the PHP2.79 billion was not included in the provincial breakdown, for lack of disaggregated data by province. These are projects from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“The infrastructure development sector had the highest number of projects and the biggest share of the public investment in Eastern Visayas with a total investment cost of PHP24.84 billion,” said NEDA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Bonifacio Uy.

The region is a recipient of 1,325 projects, which include roads, bridges, flood control, irrigation facilities, seawall and shore protection, school buildings and other public infrastructure structures.

Outside infrastructure, the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Porgram was one of the national government’s priorities during the last part of the year, with an outlay of PHP2.1 billion.

In terms of number, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ranked first with 1,034 projects with a cost of PHP1.63 billion. However, in terms of cost, DPWH topped the list with PHP23.08 billion investment cost for the implementation of 291 projects.

Most of DILG’s projects were intended for Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda, rebuilding facilities damaged by the 2013 disaster. (PNA)

JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO