CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- An official said Friday that some P35 million for the purchase of equipment and renovation of public hospitals all over Pampanga was already forwarded to the Provincial Board last August 7 but has not been acted upon by the legislative body.

Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu's clarifications came amid calls by Board Members Tarcicio Halili and Ricardo Yabut that the request of the executive department to "divert" P45 million in unexpended balances as aid to indigents, improvement of hospital facilities and health care programs like provision of Philhealth cards to barangay health workers and volunteers.

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Dabu also clarified issues on why there are unexpended balances in the Capitol, which the Provincial Board (PB) on Tuesday said there isn't supposed to be any off, since these have to go to basic services for the people.

She told Sun.Star Pampanga: "Kaya sumosobra iyung aid to indigents at aid to hospitals kasi iyung first five months of the year (2009) hinold kasi nila (PB) iyung aid to indigents na pondo. So ang ginamit naming pondo ay iyung grants and subsidies which be utilized then sa financial assistance. Kaya when they ultimately approved it, hindi na naming pwedeng i-revert. Nai-charge na naming iyung na charge sa aid to indigents doon sa grants and subsidies. So hindi naming iyun pwedeng gastusin kung hindi para sa indigents lang."

She said the Provincial Government is not inclined to do that and not wait for the end of the year. She said farmers in the province are in dire need of assistance after the recent calamities where damages to agricultural crops and infrastructure peaked to some P700 million, adding that the P54 million calamity fund approved by the PB is not sufficient.

"Nakita na naming na magkaka-savings na kami kaya sabi naming i-revert na natin ngayon," she said, adding that they already have computed the balances by putting a ceiling on the monthly expenditures of the Governor's Office and other key departments.

She said the request for funds for hospitals has been pending with the PB since this August, and that after its first hearing was apparently left unattended.

"We actually have two supplemental budget requests filed with them. The P45 million was filed last October 12 and the other one last August contains the P35 million for purchase of hospital equipment and repair of hospitals. At iyun ay hindi nila gina-grant until now," Dabu said.

She said the repair of the San Luis District Hospital is up for bidding now and that the Provincial Government assures the funding of such repairs and renovation. She said that in Mabalacat, the chief of hospital there preferred the old x-ray machine just be repaired instead of purchasing a new one, which was of poor quality.

On the non-appearance of Budget Officer Nida Manalad during last Tuesday's en banc committee hearing, she said Manalad was apparently not invited to the hearing.

"We normally are informed if they are invited. In any case, all those invited have already been given their authorization prior to the November 3 hearing. But it seems she (Manalad) was not invited for the past committee hearing that's why she proceeded to the Bids and awards Committee meeting that day" Dabu said. (Jovi T. De Leon)