By Edalyn Acta & Arjay Allado
Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member Paolo Besa of Panay urged colleagues not to railroad the passage of the 2025 budget.
When Besa called for the adjournment of the January 31 session, it was meant for Panay SB to thoroughly review the budget that was not approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Capiz.
“We should be first complying what the SP requires,” Besa told Capiz Times sa Kahanginan.
But the group of SB Rommel Arches allegedly maneuvered another session on the same day and
tackled the approval of a supplemental budget worth P28 million.
Besa clarified a supplemental budget cannot be approved when Panay’s annual budget of P240 million is pending approval by Capiz SP.
“What’s in the P28 million supplemental budget? That’s the real question,” Besa said.
A local government unit (LGU) usually would process a supplemental budget during the last quarter of the year when it is deemed necessary.
“It’s only the first quarter of the year,” Besa added.
Besa urged his colleagues to focus on gathering requirements to be submitted to Capiz SP for approval of the LGU’s annual budget.
The Capiz SP earlier found that Panay LGU’s proposed fund allocation is too generic while there was lack of funds for heads of the municipal planning, assessor, treasurer, and engineering offices.
