NAVAL, Biliran - Local government units will benefit more and will be able to implement more projects at their level with the implementation of the monetization program of the internal revenue allotment (IRA).
This was learned from Antonio Cardoza, the newly installed Provincial Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) here in Biliran, during the Kapihan sa PIA forum aired live over DYRN where he was the guest.
Cardoza, who is a native of Maasin City and the former Provincial Director of the DILG in said city prior to his assignment in Biliran province, said that under the monetization program of the IRA, the total budget is P17.5 billion to be allocated to the provinces, cities, municipalities and down to the barangays nationwide.
Actually, Cardoza said, the budget for this program was a 2001 funding not yet released to the LGUs, but lately a court order mandated the government that it should be reprogrammed and released to the recipients.
Along this line, the LGUs were required to pass a resolution authorizing the head of unit to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the trustee bank in the locality to facilitate the release of the money.
When asked about the role of the DILG on the monetization program of the IRA, he said that their office functions to facilitate the submission of the required documents. The requirements have to be reviewed properly to avoid flaws in the preparation of the documents which may hinder the fast release of the funds to the LGUs.
He clarified that the release of funds to the local government unit will all depend on the land area, population and other factors.
Furthermore, he said that of the amount due, 20 per cent will be programmed for various projects as prioritized by the LGUs at their level while the remaining 80 per cent will go to other services.
Meanwhile, as the new provincial director of the DILG in the province of Biliran, Cardoza said that he will continue to implement the programs and projects that his predecessor has started based on the program thrusts of their department for the year 2006.
He vowed to implement these plans effectively and efficiently in close coordination with the heads of the local government units in the entire province of Biliran.
