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MONEY WATCH | Beyond the P2,250 Vitamin C: Breaking down the COVID annual investment programs for 2020 (Part 2 of 5)

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IN A NUTSHELL

  • More than half of the City Disaater Risk Reduction Management Office’ budget, close to P19,000,000 will go to buying personal protective equipment for frontliners
  • The CDRRMO, with a budget of more than P32 million, had the highest allocation among the three offices that sent requests to the City Developmemt Council
  • The Department of Social Services had the highest single-purpose budget – food assistance – at P30,000,000
  • Total budget overcalculated by City Development Council but adjusted on the floor by Sangguniang Panlungsod
  • Typo errors found by city council in request of CDRRMO request that was overcalculated by P32 million
  • Some items in CHO budget undercalculated

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Of the four city government offices that submitted their requests to the City Development Council for inclusion in the supplemental budget for the Annual Investment Program of 2020 in view of the COVID situation, it was the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) that got the largest share from the P113 million realigned fund to fight the pandemic.

The summary list submitted by the City Development Council to the Sangguniang Panlungsod here showed the CDRRMO getting P32, 380,000 or almost a third of the 2020 realigned AIP.

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The CDC is the consultative body mandated by law to deliberate and approve projects to be funded through the 20 percent development fund of a local government unit. [READ also: MONEY WATCH | Beyond the P2,250 Vitamin C: Breaking down the COVID annual investment programs for 2020 (Part 1 of 5)]

The AIP, on the other hand, is the financial and work plan of an LGU for a period of one year.

In this report, DNX takes a look at the entire supplemental budget allocation and breaks down the summary list of supplemental annual investment programs originally calculated to be worth P146 million (145,964,050) submitted to the city council here by the City Development Council for the approval of the supplemental budget.

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It was later recomputed on the city council floor and was found to be only worth P113,964,050.

CDDRMO request optimized

Gamboa and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran both told DNX it was a “typo error” as the proposed budget for the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) was originally calculated at more than P64 million.

For this report, DNX went over the documents submitted to the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City, which approved the allocation of P113 million as additional funds for the COVID19 response of the city, during its special session on 31 August 2020.

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These nine documents have been made publicly available by the council, and were furnished DNX by Gamboa.

These are:

  • the 27 August 2020 letter of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to the Sangguniang Panlungsod requesting for a special session
    Resolution No. 12, series of 2020 of the City Development Council approving the supplemental annual investment programs for 2020 in view of the COVID19 situation passed by the CDC on 27 August 2020 after a virtual meeting
    the summary list of supplemental annual investment programs
    the breakdown of supplemental annual investment programs
    the supplies needed list from the City Health Office
  • the proposed list of priority projects for inclusion to 2020-2021 AIP from the Office of the City Engineer
  • program of works from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
  • program of works from the Department of Social Services and Development
  • Resolution No. 13, series of 2020 of the City Development Council passed also on 27 August 2020 requesting the realignment of Calendar Year 2020’s Annual Investment Programs in view of the COVID situation

In this second part, DNX will break down the items requested by the CDRRMO that had a total request of P32,380,000.

The program of work, submitted by Bernadeth B. Montelibano DRRMO Administrative Officer II and recommended for approval by cluster head and executive assistant Jose Maria B. Vargas, was dated 26 August 2020.

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It listed among its objectives the sustained implementation of the Modified General Community Quarantine in the city, provision of logistical support for frontliners, supplies, materials and fuel for them and other allied frontliners, as well as for returning residents from abroad or other parts of the country.

It also included the establishment of quarantine center facilities with provisiom for standard supplies and other needs and the provision of thermal scanning or monitoring equipment at the Government Center.

The program is divided into three components: various supplies and materials for all frontliners in the city and all city government employees, quarantine center facilities, and financial expenses.

Under the first component, the annual targets are 1,000 frontliners to be “provided with PPEs and necessary supplies to effectively and efficiently carry out their functions.”

This phase will be implemented from 26 August to end of this year.

Three items are under this component:

6,000 sets of “Full PPE (Cover all, gloves, KN95 mask, head cover, shoe cover, three-ply masks, isolation gown, goggles)” at P2,700 per set for a total cost of P16,200,000

35 sets of “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with respirator” at P71,000 for a total cost of P2,485,000

3,000 pieces face shield at P100 apiece for a total cost of P300,000

Under the second component, the BCDRRMO will buy 10,000 hygiene kits for “LSI and local cases” priced at P995 per kit for a total of P9,
950,000. A separate purchase for 5,000 kits will be made for returning overseas workers who will be given hygiene kits priced at only P299 for a total of P1,495,000.

The CDRRMO will also buy 1,000 folding beds priced at P1,950 each for a total of P1,950,000.

Financial expenses, on the other hand, will cover maintenance and other operating expenses broken down into “other supplies and materials expense” estimated at P28,895,000 and a capital outlay for medical, dental and laboratory equipment estimated at P2,485,000.

It is not clear where the PPEs with respirators will be used or if these are single use.

Vargas cannot be reached when sought out by DNX for comment.

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DNX News Desk
DNX News Desk
Pioneer digital-first news and information source based in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental province. We are committed to providing high-quality journalism to our audience.
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