TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said the passage of the budget should not be “ministerial” on the part of the provincial board.
In a phone interview on Friday, October, Mamba welcomed the approval of the of Local Development Investment Plan (LDIP) but downplayed the role of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) in approving it.
“Well, sa totoo lang they don’t even have to approve tht. Ang LDIP kasi is just a guide. It’s a product of the PDC, the Provincial Development Council, telling or informing the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that this is where we are going. Ganun lang ‘yun,” Mamba said.
The provincial board on Wednesday, October 4, finally approved the Mamba administration’s 5-year development plan, after months of deliberation.
The delay of the LDIP’s passage also stalled the deliberation of the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) and the annual budget for 2017.
Mamba said the LDIP is not for the board to approve because it has already been produced by the Provincial Developement Development.
He added that the AIP is the only up for approval since it’s a part of the annual budget.
“That’s how important [the PDIP] is pero it’s not for them to approve that. It’s just up to them if they support that or not,” Mamba said, adding that it is not proper for them to act “ministerial” on the passage of the budget.
“They have to pass something. Hindi lang puwedeng that is just ministerial on their part. Hindi sila puwedeng hindi magpasa kaya nga nag-file ako ng administrative case against them sa Ombudsman. Because they were not discussing the budget and that is their obligation: to discuss and pass,” Mamba said.
Mamba earlier filed an administrative complaint against some of the board members for remanding the PDIP. Northernforum.net
