“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity” March 2 - March 8, 2020 P15.00 CEBU Volume 2 Series 24 12 PAGES BUSINESS Room 310-A, 3rd floor WDC Bldg. Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City WEEK You may visit Cebu Business Week Facebook page. Yap wants 50-50 share in budget Bohol guv urges RDC to review budget share of LGUs Bohol Governor Arthur national agencies such as Yap has urged the Regional Department of Agriculture Development Council (RDC) (DA) and the Department of 7 to analyze how much is the Public Works and Highways budget for national agencies (DPWH). and how much for local “How much is the RDC government units in the 7 and the Local Government total amount it endorsed for Units (LGUs) get their way inclusion in annual General to the national budget or Appropriations Acts (GAAs). inclusion in the GAA?” Speaking during the Yap asked. He echoed the RDC Full Council meeting statement of Carreon that last Feb. 28, 2020, Yap was only 15 percent of what the among those informed by RDC 7 endorsed got it to the Efren Carreon, National GAA 2020. Economic and Development Yap said that was Authority (NEDA) 7 director the reason he once asked Bohol Governor Arthur Yap (extreme right) during the full council meeting of the Regional Development (RDC) last and RDC 7 co-chairman, that Department of Budget Feb. 28, 2020 at Mezzo Hotel, Cebu City. Others in photo are (left to right) Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella, RDC 7 of the P633 billion RDC 7 has Secretary Wendell Avisado Co-Chair Kenneth Cobonpue, and NEDA 7 and RCC 7 Co-Chair Director Efren Carreon. endorsed, only P108 billion if there is a possibility that was included in GAA 2020. the national agencies and the of the budget for national I am wondering what the us in Region 7,” Yap said. The Bohol governor LGUs can have mutual respect agencies and the other 50 National Government really Yap also cited the landing raised the concern in that of their accountabilities and percent for LGU projects? gives,” Yap said. fees waiver. Every ticket a RDC Full Council meeting responsibilities. I want that this should be He said that unlike passenger pays has P400 at Mezzo Hotel, Cebu City, “I am also sympathetic brought to the National Cebu which is balanced share for the LGU and it is which was earlier discussed of all government agencies Economic Team,” Yap said. as it has both tourism unfortunate if the landing fee by all Central Visayas because I once served with Yap also raised his and industry; Bohol has for tourism is suspended. governors, that include Cebu, them. I used to sit there (as second concern on the tourism and remittance of “What about excise Bohol, Negros Oriental and DA secretary),” Yap said. stimulus package. The entire Overseas Filipino Workers taxes for fuel? The National Siquijor. Yap said that during his country is going to be health- (OFW) only. Siquijor has Government has the power Yap suggested that the term as DA secretary under dependent because it is no industries as well and to suspend that in emergency country’s budget must be the administration of then divided into manufacturing- depends on agriculture, OFW situation,” he said. divided into 50 percent for President Gloria Macapagal base and tourism-base. and tourism. So is Negros According to the Bohol the national government Arroyo, he knew that RDC “So, the stimulus package Oriental. governor, we also need agencies and 50 percent for was also budgeting with for the industrial parts of the “I hope the RDC can additional training vouchers projects of Local Government national targets in mind. country should be different articulate that to the National for the region right now to Units (LGUs). “But is it not possible that for the stimulus package for Economic Team and ask for a prevent workers from being He cited examples of we divide, at least 50 percent us here in Central Visayas. special stimulus package for laid off. Elias O. Baquero 2 March 2 - March 8, 2020 Cebu Business Week LOCAL Yap urges government to analyze recession Bohol Governor Arthur virus is a recession. We have and Infrastructure funds. funds. Bohol has spent tens added, “we went to the PDC, Yap has urged the government many businessmen from That leads to the question of millions to finish thethen to the RDC, but did we to analyze the worldwide the private sector who are how much are we requesting conceptualized drawings and get there? Only a little.” recession because it may RDC 7 members and the for that from the national to finish the feasibility studies Yap told the body that we shutdown the economy of question is how would you budget? None,” he said. and the detailed engineering should be frank with each other some parts of the country. protect against an economy “I don’t want to be plans because every time they so there’s no need to spend In a full council meeting recession to put the economy negative about it but all the hold a multilateral meeting, millions of pesos with no result. of the Regional Development afloat as spending has to statistics show that we all they will ask you where are the “If we are on normal Council (RDC) last Feb. 28, continue. How do you do work so hard, the Provincial drawings, feasibility studies time, then let it be. But this 2020, Yap said that if the nine that? In a economy like ours, Development Council and and detailed engineering is an abnormal time. We percent economic growth it is tourism. That’s why I am the RDC but it wasn’t getting plans,” Yap lamented. should act immediately,” he of China would decrease to asking for training vouchers there. We are spending The Bohol governor said. Elias O, Baquero six percent because of the Corona Virus, this will lead to economic slowdown. However, if Bohol’s economy will be affected, it will surely go to economic shutdown. Yap noted that the annual budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) is so much higher than the Department of Tourism (DOT) because of the government’s program to modernize the agriculture sector. Nevertheless, Yap said maybe in normal times we can discuss that, but it is abnormal times today. “Whatever funds we can give to tourism right now should be complimented Bohol Governor Arthur Yap (extreme right) during the full council meeting of the Regional Development (RDC) last Feb. 28, 2020 at Mezzo Hotel, Cebu with rural support fund City. Others in photo are (left to right) Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella, RDC 7 Co-Chair Kenneth Cobonpue, and NEDA 7 and RCC 7 Co-Chair Director because the threat of Covid Efren Carreon. Thumbs up for ban on single-use plastics P166B budget endorsed by The National Solid Waste stirrers and disposable agencies under the Ecological Management Commission forks, spoons and knives as Solid Waste Management Act. RDC 7 to NEDA: Carreon (NSWMC) has given a well as thin-filmed sando Antiporda said the eight The development Carreon showed the thumbs-up in the resolution bags which are lower than plastic products identified administration like the 2020 percentage inclusion mandating the Department 15 microns. were done so with “balanced economic sector agencies, of their proposal in the GAA. of Environment and Natural Eight member- judgment.” infrastructure agencies and He said the regional average Resources (DENR) to get agencies of the commission “It was the decision of social agencies had a total inclusion is 36 percent. They ready and to implement the supported the resolution: the NSWMC to come up budget proposal amounting have the agency breakdown banning of “unnecessary” the DENR, Department with a balanced judgment to P166.187 billion as on this. single-use plastics in all of Agriculture (DA), single-use plastics by taking endorsed by the Regional Carreon discussed other government offices. Department of the Interior into consideration that we Development Council (RDC). projects endorsed and passed Environment and Local Government can only ban those that have This was announced by the sectoral committees Undersecretary Benny (DILG), Department of available alternatives,” he by National Economic and and endorsed by the RDC Antiporda oversees solid Public Works and Highways said. Development Authority Full Council. waste management and local (DPWH), League of Cities In Cebu, the key leaders (NEDA) 7 Director Efren Also for 2020, out of government units’ of the Philippines (LCP), also ordered the use of Carreon during the RDC 7 the P693 million budget Resolution No. 1363 Metropolitan Manila plastic several times befopre Full Council Meeting last proposal, only P108 million was signed by Environment Development Authority it will be dispose of to lessen Feb. 28. Carreon is the RDC or 15 percent or portion of Secretary Roy Cimatu (MMDA), Philippine the impact of flooding and 7 co-chair. the RDC-endorsed amount on Feb. 12. The DENR is Information Agency (PIA) pollution. Carreon said of this found their way into the tasked to develop specificand Technical Education In Cebu City alone, all total, only 59.9 percent was GAA. guidelines for national and Skills Development the department stores and included in the General Nohol Governor Arthur agencies, local governments Authority (TESDA). wet markets are mandated, Appropriations Act (GAA) Yap said the RDC 7 Full and all other government- EcoWaste Coalition said under a city ordinance to use which is approximately 36 Council must negotiate controlled offices to disallowthe DENR and the NSWMC only wrapping papers and percent of their total projects with the National Economic certain plastic items in their should release a list of ecobag to customers.