Antique Provincial Board Allocates PHP310 Million for Wages and Educational Aid

San Jose, Antique – The provincial board in Antique has sanctioned the disbursement of PHP310 million from a proposed PHP1 billion supplemental budget for wages, educational assistance, and livelihood support.

According to Philippines News Agency, the decision was made during a session on Tuesday, where the board adopted a cautious approach to fiscal management, thus approving only a part of the supplemental budget. Condez explained that the local finance committee failed to present necessary documentation for the remaining projects slated in the budget proposal.

The funding, primarily sourced from the province’s PHP924 million share of national wealth, required further validation from the Department of Energy (DOE) before the board could approve expenditure on the proposed projects. The board decided to cut funding intended for installing solar systems at various healthcare facilities and for street lighting. This decision follows last year’s rejection by the Commission on Audit of a PHP125 million expenditure on generator sets, which also drew on the national wealth share. Condez noted that for future disbursements for salaries and educational programs, both the Department of Budget and Management and DOE certification would be necessary to proceed.