Eastern Visayas 2018 outlay up for RDC approval next week

TACLOBAN CITY, March 17 (PNA) -- The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) will meet next week to approve the 2018 budget of regional offices of national government agencies and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

Imelda Laceras, Department of Budget and Management director and chair of the RDC – Development Administration Committee, said all council members completed the preliminary budget review earlier this week after four sectoral committee meetings.

At least 46 national government agencies and 10 SUCs in the region incorporated recommendations this week for presentation to the RDC full council meeting on March 22.

“The budget preparation, which started third week of January, is just on time. The agency investment programs will be endorsed by the RDC to their respective central offices for inclusion in the 2018 budget,” Laceras said.

Next year’s budget will be the first appropriation prepared under the administration of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. The target is to complete the budget preparation process before the Chief Executive’s second State of the Nation Address in July.

“The information on how agencies performed in the past years is very critical in the budget review. The agencies should utilize the budget appropriated for the year or else they will suffer the devastating effect as stated by the President,” Laceras added.

The proposed budget scrutiny in the regional level has been centered on new and scale-up programs and projects for next year. 

Earlier, the RDC asked national government agencies to align their proposed 2018 budget to priorities under the 2017 -2022 Regional Development Plan (RDP).

“RDC inputs, recommendation and endorsement will ensure that there are fund allocations for the regional development priorities along human, economic and infrastructure development, including that of the post-disaster rehabilitation and recovery needs,” the council said in a statement.

Aside from national priorities, the RDC asked agencies to highly consider programs and projects outlined as priorities in the new RDP.

The plan aims to promote inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction, income equality, and recovery from devastating typhoons Yolanda and Nona, among others. (PNA)
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