“If they hate my guts, it should not be at the expense of the whole province.”

This was the reaction of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday to the turning down by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of his proposed P2.02 billion Negros Occidental provincial government budget for 2013.

Board members associated with Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. turned down the 2013 budget by a vote of 9-5 on Wednesday.

Alvarez, who is challenging Marañon for the governorship in 2013, said the disapproval by the board members of the proposed budget boils down to lack of trust in funding allocations sought by the governor's camp.

A text message circulating yesterday urged Capitol employees to wear black as a sign of protest and to mourn the death of their salary increase and other benefits, with the disapproval by the SP of the 2013 budget of Negros Occidental.

RE-ENACTED BUDGET

Marañon said the non-approval of the 2013 budget will mean that the provincial government will have to operate on a reenacted 2012 budget.

That also means there will no provision of funds for the payment of a P20,000 additional bonus to each Capitol employee in January, and their 25 percent salary increase next year, that is required by law, he said.

The non-passage of the 2013 budget will also affect the delivery of basic services involving health and food security, he added.

As to the lack of trust in him, the governor said the people voted him into office because they believed in him and he will prove this again on May 13 next year when elections are held.

Alvarez said the P20,000 bonus of the Capitol employees in January should come from savings this year, and if it comes from the 2013 budget, then it should not be considered a bonus.

As to the payment of the fourth tranche of the Capitol employees' salary increases, Alvarez said there will be a little sacrifice, but eventually it will be paid.

Alvarez said he does not discuss with the board members matters taken up during the SP session, he just presides.

A MATTER OF TRUST

But he thinks the problem of the non-passage of the 2013 budget boils down to “trust between the legislative and executive branch, the board members and the governor.”

He said the executive had earlier asked for the allocation of a P7 million peace and order fund supposedly for an expected visit of the president in November and P5 million for the signing of the final peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army, which did not take place.

There appears to have been a misrepresentation in the request for the funds, he said.

The vice governor said the board members are also questioning the supplemental budget submitted by Marañon, seeking P6.8 million for the concrete paving of the Murcia Alegria CPAC (Central Philippine Adventist College) Access Road Phase II, when it is already completed.

NOTHING ANOMALOUS

But provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan yesterday said there was nothing anomalous in the request for the P6.8 million allocation, it is being sought to pay the contractor of the project for work already done.

Alvarez noted that the executive lately did not release funds for the board members' projects and scholarship programs.*CPG

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