Vice Governor Rolex Suplico ushers his uncle Governor Niel Tupas Sr. inside the session hall before the executive meeting on the supplemental budget. (FAA)

Vice Governor Rolex Suplico ushers his uncle Governor Niel Tupas Sr. inside the session hall before the executive meeting on the supplemental budget. (FAA)

 

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

THE much-hyped meeting between Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and Vice Governor Rolex Suplico Wednesday did not break the budget standoff between the executive and legislative departments.

But the meeting somehow gave the top officials probable options to prevent the provincial government from running out of funds for the salaries and wages of employees.

The closed-door executive conference was held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall past 3pm with Alfonso Bedonia, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) assistant regional director, as the main resource person.

Capitol department heads who accompanied Tupas in the meeting were provincial legal officer Salvador Cabaluna III, provincial treasurer Corazon Beloria, provincial budget officer Elena Lim and provincial planning and development officer Mario Nillos.

Also present were board members Jeneda Salcedo, Jett Rojas, Macario Napulan, June Mondejar, Richard Garin, Rodolfo Cabado and Shalene Hidalgo.

The main topic of the meeting was the augmentation and supplemental budget Tupas submitted to the SP to replenish funds for Capitol operations.

A budget impasse is gripping the provincial government after the DBM declared as inoperative the 2008 budget approved by the SP.

Thus, the Capitol is now operating on the reenacted 2007 budget which is limited only to appropriations for salaries and wages of existing positions; statutory and contractual obligations; and essential operating expenses authorized in the annual and supplemental budgets for the preceding year.

Suplico said the Local Government Code prohibits approval of augmentation or supplemental budgets under a reenacted budget.

But Bedonia said the DBM might agree with a supplemental budget for the salaries increase of capitol employees since it is part of the mandatory expenses allowed under a reenacted budget.

The national government recently approved a 10-percent salary increase for all national and local public employees.

Bedonia said DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya will review the supplemental budget once it is approved by the SP.

Suplico said they have two options to make to solve the problem – pass the entire supplemental budget or approve the appropriations for the salaries and wages of workers.

The vice governor said they will carefully study the issue so that they will not be charged with illegal disbursement of funds.