By Joseph B.A. Marzan
A total of P 185.9 million in aid will be released by the Iloilo Provincial Government to local government units (LGUs) amid the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the province due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. placed the province under the ECQ through Executive Order No. 080 issued on March 20, 2020.
It was extended from April 14 to April 30 through Executive Order No. 102 issued on April 8.
The P185.9-million aid to the LGUs is part of the province’s P270-million COVID-19 response fund allocated by the Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), on April 5.
The fund is sourced from the savings of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office since 2016.
The fund allocation was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Iloilo on April 6, 2020.
According to Provincial Legal Officer Dennis Ventilacion, the allocation of the budget per LGU is determined by their population.
The breakdown of the funds for each LGU in the province is as follows:
- Ajuy – P 5.2 million
- Alimodian – P 3.4 million
- Anilao – P 2.8 million
- Badiangan – P. 2.5 million
- Balasan – P 3.4 million
- Banate – P 3.4 million
- Barotac Nuevo – P 5.1 million
- Barotac Viejo – P 4.7 million
- Batad – P 2.2 million
- Bingawan – P 1.4 million
- Cabatuan – P 5.4 million
- Calinog – P 5.6 million
- Carles – P 6.5 million
- Concepcion – P 4.3. million
- Dingle – P 4.4 million
- Dueñas – P 3.3 million
- Dumangas – P 6.7 million
- Estancia – P 4.7 million
- Guimbal – P 3.1 million
- Igbaras – P 2.9 million
- Janiuay – P 5.9 million
- Lambunao – P 6.8 million
- Leganes – P 3 million
- Lemery – P 3.3 million
- Leon – P 4.5 million
- Maasin – P 3.1 million
- Miag-ao – P 6 million
- Mina – P 2.1 million
- New Lucena – P 2.1 million
- Oton – P 8.7 million
- Passi City – P 8.2 million
- Pavia – P 5.4 million
- Pototan – P 6.8 million
- San Dionisio – P 3.8 million
- San Enrique – P 3.2 million
- San Joaquin – P 4.7 million
- San Miguel – P 2.5 million
- San Rafael – P 1.6 million
- Barbara – P 5.8 million
- Sara – P 5.6 million
- Tigbauan – P 5.7 million
- Tubungan – P 2 million
- Zarraga – P 2.4 million
The provincial government had previously released P1 million to each LGU for relief assistance. The municipality of Guimbal, however, received P1.5 million, as it was the only town that had reported a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the time.
Ventilacion said that the LGUs will need to submit their requirements before the provincial government can release the funds to them.
He added that many LGUs have complied and their vouchers are being prepared for release by this week.
“So far, halos tanan naman naka-comply kag gina-preparar na ang pag-process sang voucher and laban-laban sa sini nga semana, ma-umpisa na ni release. Syempre, as a matter of principle, indi ka man ka-pirma sang [Memorandum of Agreement] with the provincial government kun wala ka sing authority halin sa imo Sangguniang Bayan,” he said.
Defensor said that the expenditures of the LGUs should only be within the scope of EO 080.
“Well, basically, kun ano na siya in the expenditure is within the four corners of [EO 080], that is the [ECQ] EO. Paano na siya gna implementar, kag ikaduha, sino basically ang gaka-apektuhan sa aton nga ECQ? Makita mo na siya sa mga bagay nga ginaubra ta subong. Pwede na siya sa relief operations, you can use that for monitoring, muna klase sang expenditure, to maintain a quarantine facility, or you can use that to help the affected sectors,” he said.
The governor added that the LGUs would still have elbow room in spending their respective allocations.
“Siling naton nga we have to be specific, ang sectors nga nagaka-apektuhan sang aton nga ECQ. Kay nagaka-apektuhan sang aton nga kalamidad is also calamity-specific. Amu na ang aton nga gina-target, but of course with the guidelines, may elbow room ang mga mayor naton kay ti lain-lain man ang mga sirkumstansiya sang kada banwa,” he said.
OTHER AID
Atty. Ventilacion said that the rest of the P270-million response fund will go to other forms of aid and other foreseen expenses.
“Ang total nga appropriation naton halin sa calamity fund naton is [P270 million]. Ginbuhin na naton ang may budget nga medicine, medical supplies nga [P55 million], tapos may petroleum, oil and lubricants nga P1.5 million, tapos food and other assistance, P27 million,” he said.
Ventilacion, who also chairs the Bids and Awards Committee of the provincial government, said that they are also in the process of acquiring respirators.
Defensor confirmed that these respirators will be loaned to the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City, which has been named as the dedicated facility for COVID-19 patients.
Data from the Department of Health has indicated that as of April 14, 2020, Iloilo has had 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with one still admitted in hospital and eight under home quarantine. There have been four COVID-19 deaths and two recoveries.
