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Vice Governor Alex Calingasan said it will be a long overdue replacement of the province’s old cars, which Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. had auctioned off since early last year.
Board member Romeo Mabelin told this reporter at least P15 million was included in the first supplemental budget passed earlier, while an additional P3 million was approved as part of the P44.36 million third supplemental budget approved by the board in a special session on April 3.
Board member Nemesio Beltran Jr. said they approved the resolution granting Zubiri the authority to purchase the vehicles in the special session on April 3, two days after the provincial board failed to constitute a quorum on its supposed regular session on April 1.
Garcia denied that the approved budget would include funds to buy cars to be detailed to each of the board members. But he admitted that the supplemental budget also included P2,000 increase in RATA or representation and travel allowance for the board members and department heads, from P12, 000 to P14,000 a month.(Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
