Baguio, Philippines – The city government has more than P258.5 million funds for the implementation of programs, projects and activities programmed by the city to localize the efforts of the government to fight the Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019. Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said the accumulated funds include the P30.4 million quick response fund under the local disaster risk reduction and management fund (LDRRMF), the P78.1 million released by the budget department as advance Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11496 or the Bayanihan To Heal Us One Act and the P150 million realigned by the city legislative body from unimplemented projects. He reported that the bulk of the expenses from these funds to provide relief goods for the over 93,000 households in the city’s barangays. City Budget Officer Leticia O. Clemente recommended that expenses of the city government will be first charged to the already released IRA of the city to maximize it until the lifting of the Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine so that no unspent amount will be returned to the national treasury once the quarantine is over. She explained that the guidelines for the utilization of the advance IRA is confined for the procurement of medicines and supplies, personal protective equipment (PPEs) of frontliners, food supply for volunteers, relief goods for the beneficiaries of the same in the city’s 128 barangays and other COVID-related operations, but could not be used to pay the hazard pay and special risk allowance of barangay health workers and volunteers as well as elected officials. However, Clemente pointed out the city government needs to amend the earlier approved annual procurement plan to incorporate all the necessary changes to include all the programs, projects and activities for the city’s aggressive COVID operations. On the other hand, the P10.24 million approved by the city legislative body as the city’s financial assistance to the 128 barangays will be charged against the P150 million realigned from the unimplemented projects in the previous years as stand by fund. The budget department issued guidelines for the proper utilization of funds from both the city and national governments to help intensify the government’s campaign against the spread of the deadly virus in the city and ensure the populace will be spared from the serious negative effects of the illness. – By Dexter A. See
