Aumentado defends P2.006T budget

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By Marlon Balmadrid   

QUEZON CITY – Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) defended the P2.006- trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2013 during the 3rd and final reading of the ,measure saying that the budget is the lifeblood of the Aquino Government and the engine to propel the Philippines to economic development and progress.

Aumentado, Committee on Appropriations member and co-author of the budget measure stood after six congressmen sharply attacked the legislation asserting that it does not address the poverty situation and basic needs of the Filipino people.

The 2nd district solon said that the P39 billion conditional cash transfer benefits the poorest of the poor identified by the national household targeting system for poverty   reduction. He also said the huge outlays for social services such as for education, health, livelihood, DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDDS, Pamana and the government’s job generating projects address the concerns raised by the budget critics specially those coming from the party-list.

Aumentado disclosed that the implementation of the public works infrastructure projects, the Department of Agriculture’s farm to market roads and the irrigation projects of the National Irrigation Administration can pump-prime the economy and generate job opportunities.

He further said the resultant effect of pump priming the economy is that it could drive the Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) upwards which could improve its investment grade rating by Standard and Poor and the International Monetary Fund, the global raters for investment of all countries.

He concluded that with the looming peace in Mindanao and Pres. Aquino’s initiative to attain the elusive peace in the country, as well as his popularity for the right path of governance, the Philippines positions itself among the emerging economic tigers of Asia.

The House approved the GAA 2013, and sent it to the Senate upon orders of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to ensure the passage of the landmark legislation before the year ends.

Aumentado bills endorsed to Senate

By JUNE S. BLANCO

BARRING any hitches, barangay officials will get “retirement” benefits while interconnected roads in the island town of Pres. Garcia town will soon be national roads.

Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) said the Lower House has approved both bills and endorsed them to the Senate.

House Bill 6567 seeks to provide barangay officials including tanods, members of the lupon ng tagapamayapa, health and day care workers with a lump sum retirement pay equivalent to one year’s honorarium and to amend Section 393 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991. Sec. 393 provides for the basic honorarium only.

The lump sum retirement pay, however, is up to P100,000 only, to be taken from the barangay retirement fund. A retiree qualifies to claim it when he or she reaches 60 years of age with a minimum of nine years in service at the time of retirement.

The bill also proposes to create the Barangay Retirement Fund, to be taken from one percent of the share from the national government under Section 284 of the Code and to amend that section. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is tasked to administer and ensure the appropriate disbursement of the fund.

On the other hand, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in coordination with DILG, will issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the law.

Co-authors of the bill are Reps. Suarez, Arnaiz, Evardone, Olivarez, Angara, Ejercityo, Syjuco, Lazatin, Teodoro, M. Sarmiento, M. Magsaysay, Del Mar, Dayanghirang, Enverga, Baguilat, Acop, Calixto-Rubiano, R. Rodriguez, M. Rodriguez, Daza, Quisumbing, Castelo, Salimbangon, Valencia, Benitez, Bonoan-David, Colmenares, Casiño, Herrera-Dy, A. Go, Maliksi, Loyola, Cabaluna, Duavit, Co, Batocabe, Garbin, Climaco, Avance-Fuentes, C.J. Lopez, Cruz-Gonzales, Tañada, Cerafica and Palmones.

Meanwhile, the Lower House also approved the bill seeking conversion of the Popoo-Tugas, Pitogo-Aguining and Villa Milagrosa-San Vicente-Pitogo roads into national roads, with corresponding funding.

When approved, House Bill 6569 tasks the public works and highways secretary to include in that department’s program the improvement, repair and maintenance for the Pres. Garcia roads and include the funding for the same in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Rep. Rico part of Getafe’s progress

By JUNE S. BLANCO

GETAFE town just celebrated its 138th foundation day with Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) providing support all the way.

In his inspirational message on the celebration’s theme of Metro Getafe: Breakthrough to Progress, Aumentado enumerated his contributions to the town’s development components and support systems.

Getafe is developing industrial zones. The solon said he is now consolidating the Ouano, Camacho and Manuel Lim’s properties in barangays Tulang, San jose and Cangmundo into a special economic zone.

In tourism, he is contributing resources from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to develop and promote wakeboarding in Pandanon island as well as supporting eco-tourism in Banacon island, the biggest man-made mangrove forest in Asia.

For sufficient water, he provided a P500,000-counterpart from his PDAF for the expansion of the present waterworks system to serve more barangays by including Getafe in the 10 towns enrolled in the Water for Waterless Municipalities program of President Aquino.

For sufficient power and distribution, his office is an active player in the memorandum of agreement with the National Electrification Administration and the Bohol II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BOHECO 2) wherein they just inaugurated the Getafe-Pandanon Interconnection Project that is the jumping board for the interconnection with four more islands that will get power from Pandanon – Mahanay, Banacon, Jagoliao and Nasingin.

He is also contributing resources for his continuing sitio and public school electrification program with NEA and BOHECO 2.

On highways, he funded the completion of the Getafe-Danao road concreting project to include the bridges along this road under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) bridge program.

The Getafe fast craft terminal development is also another project – the Starcraft vessels now ply the Cebu-Getafe-Cebu route daily – support transport service for tourism and commerce in the town.

Getting closer to realization is the Bohol-Cebu Friendship Bridge, a 24-kilometer series of bridges and causeways that will link Getafe with Cordova in Cebu, with several exits along the way to several islands between the two provinces. He has done the leg work in requesting the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) fund the feasibility study for the bridge under an official development assistance (ODA) grant. He proposes the bridge itself to be constructed under Pres. Aquino’s public-private partnership program, or a build-operate-transfer scheme.

He said all these projects are included in the Getafe town and barangay master plans crafted by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) with the assistance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). He finalized the details with NEDA Assistant Region 7 Director Efren Carreon and Rafael Tagalog Jr. prior to the weekend.

OIC Mayor Simen Torreon and Municipal Administrator Theresa P.M. Camacho led local officials in welcoming Aumentado and other guests that included Board Member Gerargo Garcia, Carmen Mayor and gubernatorial bet Conchita Toribio, former Board Member Ma Fe. Lejos and vice gubernatoriable Sharleen Lim.

Rep. Aumentado energizes island

ISLAND ENERGIZED! Rep. Erico Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District and Bohol Electric Cooperative (Boheco) General Manager Carlos Itable (5th and 4th from right) lead inaugural rites for the P12-million Getafe-Jandayan Interconnection Project that brings electricity to the three barangays in the island from Getafe in the mainland by submarine cable. With them are, from left, the chairpersons of the energized barangays, Jorge Honculada who represented Gov. Edgardo Chatto,, Acting Mayor Simeon Torreon and Boheco 2 Director Arnold Logod. Foto: TAMIE DABALOS

 

By JUNE S. BLANCO

THREE barangays in Jandayan Island of Getafe town now enjoy electricity via submarine cable through the P12-million Getafe-Jandayan Interconnection Project.

Rep. Erico Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) and Engr. Carlos Itable, general manager of the Bohol Electric Cooperative (Boheco), Friday led the switching on ceremony that marked the completion of the initial phase of the interconnection.

The National Electrification Administration (NEA), Aumentado through his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and Boheco, which implemented the interconnection, jointly funded the P12-million project – a realization of the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) by Administrator Edita Bueno, the solon and Itable as part of President Aquino’s rural electrification program as well as public-private partnership program.

Aumentado said the islanders expressed elation as they also switched on appliances and lights in a first-ever experience in barangays Jandayan Sur, Jandayan Norte and Handumon.

In his message, the solon said the three-barangay electrification also sparks the energization of four more island barangays in Getafe for the Jandayan-Mahanay-Banacon-Jagoliao-Nasingin Interconnection, this time through the less expensive overhead cables as the latter are relatively close to one another. Besides, surface activities in the shallow waters surrounding the islets would only endanger submarine cables.

He committed another P2.5 million from his PDAF as initial funding for the interconnection by overhead cables project – again in partnership with NEA and Boheco 2.

Itable confirmed this, saying the overhead connection for the islets is a top priority.

Assisting Aumentado and Itable in the switching on ceremony were Brgy. Capts. Tirso Torremocha of Jandayan Sur, Linda Pogoy of Jandayan Norte and Felix Torremocha of Handumon, Boheco 2 board Dir. Arnold Logod, Acting Mayor Simon Torreon and Jorge Honculada who represeneted Gov. Edgardo Chatto.

Witnessing the event were former Board Member Mafe Camacho, mayoralty hopeful Casey Shawn “Kasoy” Camacho, Municipal Administrator Theresa Camacho and other town officials. Aside from Logod, also present were Board President Elisa Cadorna and Directors Zaldy Liao, Mariano Salas, Leopoldo Mendez, Fe Vergara, Virginia Item and Zenon Bete.

Following the ceremony, Aumentado also swore into office the Barangay Power Association (Bapa) officers headed by their respective chairmen Camilo Torremocha of Jandayan Sur, Rosendo Bonghanoy of Jandayan Norte and Patricio Mejasco Jr. of Handumon.