TACLOBAN
CITY, Dec. 9 – The Regional Development Council (RDC)
sectoral committees completed on Friday the technical review of the 2019 budget
of government agencies and state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Eastern
Visayas.
On Dec.
13, the entire RDC will discuss the outcome of the budget review and meet with
members of the House of Representatives from the region for a budget dialogue
on December 15.
The
proposed budget will be submitted to the central offices of government
agencies, and to the Commission on Higher Education in case of state-run
tertiary schools. A dialogue between the agencies' main offices and the RDC is
set early next year.
“The
review aims to ensure the readiness of the agencies that in case they will be
summoned to Congress, agencies are assured that the legislators will be on our
side, since they are part of the budget preparation process. In fact, they will
help facilitate the speedy approval and inclusion in the national budget,” said
Department of Budget and Management Regional Director Imelda Laceras.
Laceras,
the RDC’s Development Administration Committee chairperson, said the current
budgeting process is more responsive to the needs of the region.
“This
time it would be more advantageous to the region because there is enough time
to do the documentation and justification not hurriedly identified programs,
projects, and activities,” she added.
Since
Sept. 24, government agencies and SUCs have prepared budget proposals,
consulted with civil society organizations, submitted forms, conducted
technical reviews, and underwent RDC sectoral committee reviews.
The
proposed 2019 outlay is in line with the Regional Development Plan 2017-2022,
Result Matrix, and the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP), said
National Economic and Development Authority Regional Director Bonifacio Uy
said.
The Plan
and the Matrix spell out the priority development directions and targets while
the RDIP outlines the priority development programs, projects, and activities
of the region in the next six years.
“Early
budget review will ensure that proposed budgets will push for fund allocations
for investment that support regional development priorities along human,
economic and infrastructure development, including that of the post-disaster
rehabilitation and recovery needs,” Uy said.
The
budget review and consultation covers 47 departments and other attached
agencies and 10 SUCs based in the region’s six provinces.
Eastern
Visayas region needs at least PHP651.66 billion for priority activities under
the draft 2017-2022 RDIP.
Region 8
is the third poorest among 18 regions in the country. As of 2015, the region’s
poverty incidence among families is pegged at 30.7 percent, which means that
three out of every 10 families in the region are poor. (SQM/PNA)
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