SECOND District Congressman Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado lectured 2nd District Board Member Mimi Boniel on the budget process in response to her open letter, which was posted online, which described Aumentado as heartless about the condition of the people in their district because of his so-called “comfortable” life.
In the same open letter, Boniel hit Aumentado on his supposed inaction on the welfare of his fellow Boholanos still affected by Odette in the Second District.
Boniel’s open letter stemmed from what she stated that the provincial board had passed a resolution asking Congress to re-align the budget from the General Appropriation Act FY 2022 (GAA 2022) to help those affected by the recent calamity. Accordingly, Aumentado did nothing to help make Congress act on the SP Resolution.
Aumentado explained that the funds allocated in GAA 2022 are already downloaded to the different agencies such as DPWH, DOLE, and DA and that those entities are the only ones that can re-align their budget. He also added that they can only ask for a Supplemental Budget if it is necessary.
“Bisan pa og mosumite ka ug ang tibuok Sangguniang Panlalawigan og usa ka resolution nga mohangyo sa Kongreso aron ma-realign ang pondo, dili na siya mamahimo, gawas na lang kung ang mga ahensiya nga nahatagan mismo sa badyet sama sa DA, NHA, BFAR, ug uban pa maoy mohimo sa mao nga re-alignment. Ang mahimo namo kabahin niini mao ang pagrequest og Supplemental Budget, ug ako na kanang gihimo (Even if you and the whole Sangguniang Panlalawigan would pass a resolution asking Congress to re-align funds, that would be impossible, except when the agencies themselves who have received such funds would do the re-alignment. What we can do is to request for a Supplemental Budget, which I already did),” the lawmaker said.
Aumentado assured the Boholanos that he is always working for the betterment of his constituents, especially since they are still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Odette, which hit the hardest on the northern part of the province last December 2021.
He revealed that since January of this year, he had already asked the following agencies for assistance in his rehabilitation efforts in the Second District such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for funding of Php50,000,000 for the TUPAD (Tulong Panghanap-buhay sa Ating Displaced / Disadvantaged Workers) Program; Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for 300 fiberglass pump boats as assistance to fisherfolks who have lost their vessels due to the storm; National Housing Authority (NHA) for its Housing Assistance Program worth Php150,000,000.00; Department of Agriculture (DA) for Php100,000,000.00 worth of assistance to farmers; and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for Php150,000,000.00 worth of housing assistance.
Aris also reiterated in his statement that as a servant of the people in Congress, he is doing his best in finding ways to help his constituents rebuild their lives and properties and that his conscience is clear on many issues, especially on the topic of his residence in Mariveles, Dauis. (PR/jja)
