JONG CADION
Chief of reporters
AURORA, ZAMBOSUR —Residents numbering about 2,000 rallied in front of the Aurora Presidencia Municipal Hall the other week, putting forth their sentiments on the halted Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (Infres) projects.
The rallyists came from all walks of life: villagers, religious and NGO members of this town.
Their object of coming together was simple, they wanted municipal officials to get their heads together and continue whatever development there is in the much-touted road and water system projects under Infres.
Strong messages written in placards were intended to be read particularly by members of the Sangguniang Bayan, which urged them to “issue the appropriation ordinance” and “stop political intervention in the implementation of the Infres projects.”
“We are requesting the executive and the legislative department of Aurora to do away with the politics and be united in finding ways and means in resolving this problem of the Infres project so that its implementation will continue,” Pastor Noel Calunsag blasted during the rally.
It was learned that the Infres project in question have been ongoing at about 20 percent in implementation since 2006.
Supposedly calendared to be completed in 2010, the project was stopped recently due to the non-issuance of appropriation ordinance by the SB members who filed their objection of projects to the agriculture department.
The town council’s contention was that the terms and conditions of Implementation of Management Agreement (IMA) was, in their words, “onerous and burdensome and that the barangay beneficiaries cannot comply.”
To recall, the SB, passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Enrique Cabahug Jr., to represent the municipal government, and signed a perfected contract of bidders who will undertake the construction of a 28.41-km farm-to-market road and 9-schemes rural water supply system project.
The SB sent a letter together with their resolution to DA Sec. Arthur Yap expressing their position on the matters raised in the letter dated Nov. 12, 2008 by a certain Michael J. Allman, team leader and project management specialist, which they call as “improper.”
The town council again said that the definition of Allman’s letter citing the technicalities and budget prepapration of the Infres projects and other extras, was ambiguous
“Allman, when he defines the approved budget for contract as being LGU’s estimate of the cost of works to be done to a specific subject, prepared by the project engineer and duly approved by the local chief executive for use in the technical evaluation for the submitted bids after the opening of bids, to our mind, said statement is erroneous and misleading,” SB said.
“Under the local government code, all local budget ordinances should pass the scrutiny of the SB. That is the law,” the town council added.
The SB also noted that the LGU has a standing loan that financed the newly completed municipal building and the purchase of heavy equipment which requires a monthly amortization taken from their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
The SB likewise claimed it consulted village officials of the five barangay beneficiaries, who indicated that their barangays do not have sufficient funds for the project’s counterpart.
“The SB thinks an amendment of the IMA has to be done and the stoppage of the project should be the order of the day,” Vice Mayor Leocio Zanoria said..
Cabahug, in a huddle with this paper, said he interpreted SB’s action as “political in nature.”
“Their objection to the Infres project is a show of insecurities because they have no basis and all their allegations is half truth, misinformation and is misleading to the people,” he told MINDANAO MONITOR.
“I have always requested them to do away with the politics and join hands in the delivery of basic needs to the people through the Infres projects,” the mayor added.
At present, Aurora’s standing loan is for the completion of its Municipal Hall and for the purchase of a dumptruck.
These two projected a minimal balance of P54.3-million in the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
“We do not have a loan for farm tractor as alleged. In fact our debt-servicing capacity is P8.7-million per certification from BLGP comfortable enough to cater to our outstanding loans,” Cabahug explains.
As to the beneficiary barangays, Cabahug said these were not burdened with the counterparting scheme “as we adopted inasmuch as they set aside affordable appropriations from their 20 percent development fund budgets in a staggered basis.”
“They have almost completely put up their cash counterpart of P1.336-million out of P1.663-million for Infres per certification from the municipal accountant and municipal treasurer,” Cabahug disclosed.
A case of mandamus was filed by Cabahug in the RTC against the SB over their refusal to enact the appropriation ordinance.
Chief of reporters
AURORA, ZAMBOSUR —Residents numbering about 2,000 rallied in front of the Aurora Presidencia Municipal Hall the other week, putting forth their sentiments on the halted Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (Infres) projects.
The rallyists came from all walks of life: villagers, religious and NGO members of this town.
Their object of coming together was simple, they wanted municipal officials to get their heads together and continue whatever development there is in the much-touted road and water system projects under Infres.
Strong messages written in placards were intended to be read particularly by members of the Sangguniang Bayan, which urged them to “issue the appropriation ordinance” and “stop political intervention in the implementation of the Infres projects.”
“We are requesting the executive and the legislative department of Aurora to do away with the politics and be united in finding ways and means in resolving this problem of the Infres project so that its implementation will continue,” Pastor Noel Calunsag blasted during the rally.
It was learned that the Infres project in question have been ongoing at about 20 percent in implementation since 2006.
Supposedly calendared to be completed in 2010, the project was stopped recently due to the non-issuance of appropriation ordinance by the SB members who filed their objection of projects to the agriculture department.
The town council’s contention was that the terms and conditions of Implementation of Management Agreement (IMA) was, in their words, “onerous and burdensome and that the barangay beneficiaries cannot comply.”
To recall, the SB, passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Enrique Cabahug Jr., to represent the municipal government, and signed a perfected contract of bidders who will undertake the construction of a 28.41-km farm-to-market road and 9-schemes rural water supply system project.
The SB sent a letter together with their resolution to DA Sec. Arthur Yap expressing their position on the matters raised in the letter dated Nov. 12, 2008 by a certain Michael J. Allman, team leader and project management specialist, which they call as “improper.”
The town council again said that the definition of Allman’s letter citing the technicalities and budget prepapration of the Infres projects and other extras, was ambiguous
“Allman, when he defines the approved budget for contract as being LGU’s estimate of the cost of works to be done to a specific subject, prepared by the project engineer and duly approved by the local chief executive for use in the technical evaluation for the submitted bids after the opening of bids, to our mind, said statement is erroneous and misleading,” SB said.
“Under the local government code, all local budget ordinances should pass the scrutiny of the SB. That is the law,” the town council added.
The SB also noted that the LGU has a standing loan that financed the newly completed municipal building and the purchase of heavy equipment which requires a monthly amortization taken from their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
The SB likewise claimed it consulted village officials of the five barangay beneficiaries, who indicated that their barangays do not have sufficient funds for the project’s counterpart.
“The SB thinks an amendment of the IMA has to be done and the stoppage of the project should be the order of the day,” Vice Mayor Leocio Zanoria said..
Cabahug, in a huddle with this paper, said he interpreted SB’s action as “political in nature.”
“Their objection to the Infres project is a show of insecurities because they have no basis and all their allegations is half truth, misinformation and is misleading to the people,” he told MINDANAO MONITOR.
“I have always requested them to do away with the politics and join hands in the delivery of basic needs to the people through the Infres projects,” the mayor added.
At present, Aurora’s standing loan is for the completion of its Municipal Hall and for the purchase of a dumptruck.
These two projected a minimal balance of P54.3-million in the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
“We do not have a loan for farm tractor as alleged. In fact our debt-servicing capacity is P8.7-million per certification from BLGP comfortable enough to cater to our outstanding loans,” Cabahug explains.
As to the beneficiary barangays, Cabahug said these were not burdened with the counterparting scheme “as we adopted inasmuch as they set aside affordable appropriations from their 20 percent development fund budgets in a staggered basis.”
“They have almost completely put up their cash counterpart of P1.336-million out of P1.663-million for Infres per certification from the municipal accountant and municipal treasurer,” Cabahug disclosed.
A case of mandamus was filed by Cabahug in the RTC against the SB over their refusal to enact the appropriation ordinance.