TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The city government saved approximately P53 million from the over P300 million Bayanihan grant the city received from the national government pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020.
Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero said that to date, the city government only spent some P40 million from the Bayanihan grant to strengthen the city’s anti-Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 operations, that ranged from relief assistance, improvement of established isolation facilities, procurement of medical supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPEs), among other similar activities.
“We embraced wise spending of the Bayanihan grant downloaded to the local government that is why we were able to realize a significant savings which we could allocate for future important programs, projects and activities that will strengthen the city’s campaign against the spread of the deadly virus in the city,” Mayor Estrañro stressed.
The city chief executive disclosed that the savings realized by the city government from the city’s Bayanihan grant only shows the wise and prudent spending practiced by the city amidst criticisms on the alleged controversies in the utilization of local funds for the city’s anti-COVID operations.
RA 11469 provides that the national government will download to cities, provinces and municipalities an advance Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) equivalent to one month allocation which will be exclusively used to strengthen their anti-COVID operations to prevent the spread of the deadly virus in the different parts of the country.
Mayor Estrañero disclosed the savings achieved by the city government will be used to further improve the existing isolation facilities, upgrading of the city’s health facilities, procurement of PPEs, medicines and medical supplies, to improve the city’s anti-COVID operations since the threat of the possible spread of the contagious virus remains until such time that a vaccine will be discovered to combat the infection.
He commended the frontliners, health workers, law enforcers, volunteers and the residents for their active involvement in ensuring that the city will remain COVID-free even with the downgrading of the city’s status for enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ).
Kalinga, including the component city of Tabuk, is one of the three Cordillera provinces earlier classified to be under GCQ effective May 1, 2020 after the province and the city maintained their COVID-free status.
The city mayor called on the residents in the city’s 42 barangays to continue complying with the implementation of the stringent rules and regulations governing the GCQ and even if the city will be classified to be under modified GC because what is being protected is the health and safety of the individuals and to avoid the unnecessary entry of infected individuals who might spread the virus in the city.
He stated the city government will continue to monitor the needs of the people while the local economy is gradual being brought back pursuant to the guidelines that were crafted for the said purpose.
By Hent
