GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/20 September) – Infrastructure projects cornered the biggest allocation in the proposed P195-million
investment for various local government-initiated services and programs for next year of South Cotabato.
Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. today said the proposed investments were based on the province’s Annual Investment Program (AIP) for 2011 that was
approved last week by the reconstituted Provincial Development Council (PDC).
Pingoy said the bulk of the approved AIP will go to infrastructure services, which received an allotment of P105.485 million.
He said social services came in next with P54.76 million, economic services with P25.064 million, natural resources with P6.76 million
and general public services with P2.929 million.
He added the PDC also approved the construction of multi-purpose gymnasiums located in Barangays Poblacion and Bunao in Tupi town as
second priority projects.
“These proposed development investments mainly represent our priority services and programs that will be implemented next year,” he said.
The governor said the PDC-endorsed AIP comprises 30 percent of the projected total annual Internal Revenue Allotment that province will
receive next year.
The PDC, which is headed by the governor, comprises the mayors of the province’s 10 municipalities and lone city, the chair of the
provincial board’s committee on finance and appropriations and representatives of accredited non-government organizations.
Pingoy said they will immediately transmit the approved AIP to the provincial board for the required review and approval.
Meantime, the governor said they extended the membership of the newly-reconstituted PDC to 15 accredited NGOs to allow more public
participation in the local government’s development-related policy-making process.
He said the NGOs represented in the PDC were the Coalition of Social Development Organizations of South Cotabato; Justice and Peace Desk of
the Diocese of Marbel; Maguindanaoan Development Foundation Inc.; Mahintana Foundation Inc.; OND-Hesed Foundation Inc.; Provincial
Agriculture and Fisheries Council Inc.; South Cotabato Foundation Inc.; Save The Children Foundation Inc.;
Boy Scouts of the Philippines-South Cotabato Council; Girl Scouts of the Philippines–South Cotabato; Women’s Indigenous Focus for
Enhancement; South Cotabato Seed Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Sea Lions Swimming Club Inc.; Chiu Bun Gim Foundation Inc.; and, Land Care of the Philippines, Inc. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
