MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno vetoed the ordinance earlier approved by the Provincial Board appropriating P70 million for the implementation of the second tranche of salary increase for Capitol employees.
The ordinance was authored by Board Member Jesus Jardin.
But the move, according to a dismayed Jardin, is an insult to the Provincial Board, citing the Board’s “sanction” of enacting a law that would be “beneficial to the constituents of Misamis Oriental, particularly Capitol employees.”
“Moreno has no intention of implementing the salary standardization and has no political will to look for means to implement the salary increase for the sake of the employees,” Jardin said on Monday.
In vetoing the ordinance, Moreno said it was enacted without the required certification from the local treasurer or by new revenue sources, as provided under the Local Government Code.
He said all budgetary proposals shall be included and considered in the budget preparation process and changes in the annual budget is not allowed, unless if very necessary.
“No ordinance providing for a supplemental budget shall be enacted, except when supported by funds available as certified by the local treasurer or by new revenue resources,” Moreno said.
Based on the Local Government Code, Moreno said, the use of appropriated funds and savings shall be available exclusively for the specific purpose for which they have been appropriated and that no ordinance shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations from one item to another.
However, he added that the Board may, by ordinance, be authorized to augment any item in the approved annual budget for its respective offices from savings in other items within the same expense class of their respective appropriations.
“The updated budget operations manual and the use of savings for augmentation of funds in the existing budget shall emanate from the local finance committee,” Moreno said.
Last month, Jardin and all the members of the Board’s majority opposition pushed and later approved the ordinance appropriating P70 million for the implementation of the second tranche of the salary increase.
Under the ordinance, the increase would be taken from the general fund and would take effect on October 1.
Based on the local budget, the second tranche should have been implemented on January 1, 2011 but was delayed due to non-consideration by the previous Provincial Board and the late implementation of the first tranche.
During deliberation, however, Minority Board Member Jimmy Caiña said the majority opposition should ask permission first from the budget officer before they will approve the ordinance.
Caiña said they must identify first if the province has enough budget for the salary standardization. (Nicole J. Managbanag)
