GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Regional Development Council (RDC) of Region 12 has endorsed the P280 million proposed budget for next year of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the region.
Sisinio Cano, DOLE-12 director, said Tuesday the council approved the funding following a series of reviews and deliberations on their lined up programs, projects and activities for 2019.
He said the P280,016,531 proposed budget is about 40 percent higher than the agency’s allocation for this year.
“We’re optimistic that the Department of Budget and Management will appreciate our budget proposal,” he said
Cano said they would engage with their partners in Congress to help in lobbying for the approval of their allocation.
The RDC’s review of their budget proposal is in consonance with its mandate as provided for in Executive Order No. 325, Series of 1995, and in compliance with the National Budget Memorandum No. 129 or the budget call for fiscal year 2019 dated January 3, 2018.
The official said the council mainly found their proposed programs, projects and activities to be supportive with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s 0+10-point socio economic agenda and operationalize the goals, strategies and priorities set in the Philippine Development Plan.
He said it also complements with the priority programs and projects under the 2017-2022 Public Investment Program and the 2019-2021 Three-year Rolling Infrastructure Program.
DOLE-12’s mandates included employment facilitation and provision of capacity-building services, labor force services, employment regulation services and institutional support.
For next year, Cano said they proposed significant increases on their budget for the flagship Special Program for the Employment of Students and the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program.
DOLE-12 allotted around P167 million for the implementation of these programs next year based on its Annual Investment Program.
Cano said they proposed for a funding of around P55 million for the construction of their new office building and P4.5 million for the acquisition of additional service vehicles.
The agency has long been leasing office spaces at a private compound in Koronadal City, which is the regional seat and center of Region 12 or Soccsksargen.
The region comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
The city government of Koronadal has developed a site in Barangay Carpenter Hill to host the offices of the regional line agencies of Region 12.(PNA)
