Zero-based budgeting part of P-NOy’s thrust on good governance
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Nov. 5 (PIA) --The implementation of a zero-based budgeting (ZBB) and performance-based budgeting among government agencies as required by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) are anchored on the Aquino Administration’s thrust of good governance.
DBM Acting Director Rolando Toledo underscored the current administration’s commitment to leave a mark for the responsible and prudent management of public resources during the half-day Philippine Economic Briefing in Cebu this morning.
“Our principal mandate is public expenditure management so we make sure that every peso the government spends goes to the right projects and is spent to the fullest with the least leakages,” Toledo said.
Under fiscal resources management, every government agency is required to adopt a ZBB and to present the agency’s programs’ outputs and outcomes in preparing the 2011 and 2012 budget proposals, this is said.
“The ZBB enables us to determine the benefits to Filipinos of every peso spent by the government. We recognize the people as our main asset so we want to focus spending on programs and projects on basic education and social protection to benefit the poor sectors and poor regions, provinces and municipalities – consistent with our mandate which is Paggugol na Matuwid, Diretso sa Tao,” Toledo explained.
Measures have also been adopted by the DBM to promote greater transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, this is stressed.
Earlier in the briefing, an audio-visual economic presentation on “The Philippines: Reaching for Investment Grade Through Good Governance,” where Budget Sec. Florencio “Butch” Abad in his message said “we recently fleshed out some P150B of lump sum funds in the 2012 budget to induce greater transparency and facilitate program implementation. The process of digitalization allows us the opportunity to procure and implement projects with a minimum of human intervention.”
Abad continued that “Another important measure is the involvement of civil society organizations in the different phases of the budget cycle.”
In support of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program of the government, Abad said they had set aside P22B in the 2012 budget to pay for government’s share of the PPP projects like right of way, access roads to airports and for post harvest facilities. (PIA-Cebu with PR from Investor Relations Office)
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Cebu Capitol awards cash incentives to 49 successful prov’l scholars
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY, November 5 (PIA) -- Forty-nine fresh graduate-beneficiaries of the Cebu Tertiary Education Assistance Program (CTEAP) of the Cebu Provincial Capitol recently received cash incentives as “reward” for their exemplary courage and determination to pursue their studies despite poverty.
During the recognition day at the Capitol Social Hall yesterday, CTEAP new graduate scholars expressed their gratitude to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for including them as beneficiaries of the program and for realizing their dream to become professionals.
Gov. Garcia in her speech also thanked the graduates for not wasting the opportunity that was given to them by the province.
“Inyo gayud nga gipakita ang inyong kinasing-kasing nga paningkamot ( You really showed your whole heart endeavor) and once again affirmed our conviction that if you would be given an opportunity to rise above the challenges that you face, especially the difficulties of poverty, then surely you will be up to the opportunity,” Garcia said.
Each CTEAP scholar who graduated magna cum laude received P 25, 000 cash incentive and for those who graduated cum laude received P 15, 000 each and the rest of the scholars were given P 5, 000 each.
Meanwhile, newly-licensed Engineer Armando Saraum, a CTEAP graduate scholar from the University of Cebu (UC), reaped a total of P 40, 000 in cash reward of which the P 30, 000 given was for being notching the third place in the 2010 ECE board examinations.
The CTEATP was implemented in 1993 with the basic goal to provide financial assistance to poor but deserving high school graduates who are very eager to proceed to college but cannot afford to pursue higher education due to poverty.
Under the program, four students are chosen from each of the 44 municipalities in the province to be a CTEAP scholar in which each student can avail of free tuition fees and miscellaneous expenses on top of the P 2, 000 monthly allowance provided by the Cebu Provincial Government.
Garcia said that by next year, the number of CTEAP scholars will be increased and the municipalities will be responsible in choosing the poor high school graduates who deserve to become CTEAP scholars.
Also present during the recognition were undergraduate CTEAP scholars, parents, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and some provincial members.
Governor Garcia left this advice to the scholars “Ayaw gayud usa mo panguyab. Ug duna na buwagi usa.” (Do not enter into a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship yet. If you already have, stop that relationship for the mean time). “Focus all of your energies and strength on your studies. This should take precedence above anything else.” (FCR/AS/PIA-CEBU