The Provincial Budget Office has pegged the 2008 budget at P886.66 million now up for scrutiny by the Provincial Board. Acting Provincial Budget Officer Valeria Orig presented the details of the budget during the Management-Executive Team Monday morning. It was submitted to the PB on October 16 and will be up for deliberation. Of the proposed P886,663,537 budget, General Services got an allocation of P258,702,041, while Social Services got P221,177,578, and the economic services has been allocated P140,699,723.

Generally, allocations in 2008 is a bit higher in 2007. It is only for the special purpose that allocation has been decreased, Orig said. In the 20 percent development fund amounting to P160,084,769, general services got an allocation of P16,810,000, while social services got P28,002,454, and economic services got P115,272,315. Budgetary requirements include the 20 percent development fund of P160,084,769, the five percent reserve of P43,519,692, and aid to barangays of P5,545,000 or a total of P209,149,461.

Non-Office expenditures has been pegged at P56,934,734 which includes the P11.5-million capital outlay, P5.5-million inter-government aid, P29.2-million gender and development-related projects, P5.46-million other purposes and the P5.28-million unremitted collections from Bohol Light Company Incorporated or Bohol Water Utilities Incorporated. Orig had also included some special and administrative provisions in the proposed budget to guide department heads in formulating their respective financial plans.

She reminded heads of offices to coordinate with the governor in hiring job-order casuals and that only those with approved job order can start reporting to work since allocations for their salaries will be charged to their respective offices. Orig said each office has been allocated for four casuals. Provincial Administrator Tomas Abapo Jr. assured, though, that the concern on casuals will be addressed next year, since the allocations for their salaries has already been considered in the 2008 budget. Abapo also said Governor Erico Aumentado will address other concerns in the next MET meeting scheduled towards the end of December, as he would be the one presiding by then. (AV-PGMA)