Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates on Monday, January 27, signed the provincial government’s 2025 Local Expenditures Program (LEP) or the appropriations budget that was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, but vetoed portions of it.
The 2025 budget amounting to ₱5,330,949,119 was adopted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on January 7 and was transmitted to the Office of the Provincial Governor for signature on January 24.
“However, after exhaustive review and pursuant to the powers vested in me under Section 55 of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, I am duty bound to veto some items of appropriation in the above-mentioned Provincial Ordinance for being ultra vires and/or prejudicial to public welfare…” Socrates said in his veto message sent to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan after signing the ordinance.
Among the items vetoed by the governor include the Legislative Enhancement Program Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan with an amount of ₱58,852,386 “for being ultra vires.”
Socrates said the Legislative Enhancement Program allocation of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for 2025 “exceeded the allocation outlined in the approved Annual Investment Program (AIP) for the same year.”
Citing provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and other relevant rules and regulations, “it is evident that the local annual budget must strictly adhere to the approved AIP and cannot exceed nor deviate from its allocation limits.”
“Thus, the action of the Sanggunian in unilaterally increasing the budget for the LEP beyond the approved 2025 AIP is ultra vires. Verily, it constitutes a clear contravention of existing laws, rules, and guidelines,” Socrates said, noting that the AIP is the foundation of planning and budgeting outline of an LGU.
“Any adjustments to the budget outside the approved AIP would undermine the established planning and budgetary process, which is specifically designed to uphold fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability,” he added.
The veto message attached a Certification of Inclusion to the Annual Investment Program (AIP), stating that the Program/Project of Enhancement of Accounting Services and Legislative Enhancement Program were pegged at ₱3 million for each Board Member but the amount in the approved budget had as high as ₱4.5 million for most of them and ₱3.1 million for three Board Members who belonged to the minority.
Socrates also noted that under the same item, the proposed allocation for the Mining and Quarry Regulatory Program (MQRP) for 2025 representing the income of MQRP for 2025 to be generated from the collection of fees and charges has been reduced to ₱44,225,000, with the portion of the budget cut transferred and distributed by the SP to the Legislative Enhancement Program ₱19,652,386, which he said “clearly runs afoul of Provincial Ordinance No. 1426-14, entitled: “Imposing Regulatory Fees to Permittees for Commercial Sand and Gravel Permits.”
The governor also called out a ₱9,613,360 allocation for the Office of the Vice-Governor for its Legislative Research and Extension Program, and Other General Services amounting to ₱36,285,000 as “prejudicial to the public welfare.”
Furthermore, he noted the budget cut for the “Serbisyo Ig Progreso y ang Sambayanang Palawenyo (SPS)” Program under the Executive Branch, with a total allocation of ₱105,000,000 but reduced to ₱69,500,000.
A portion of the deducted amount of ₱35,500,000 was reallocated to the Office of the Vice-Governor for Other General Services amounting to ₱5,800,000 and LREP – Other General Services – amounting to ₱11,035,000.
“The SPS Program, a flagship program of the Provincial Governor’s Office, is specifically designed to deliver essential services to underserved communities in remote barangays in the entire province of Palawan. As such, it is aligned with the principle of promoting the “common good” by addressing the needs of the most vulnerable communities and fostering inclusive growth,” he explained, emphasizing that reducing the program’s budget with such a significant amount undermines its capacity to achieve its objectives, thereby compromising the Provincial Government’s mandate to prioritize public welfare.
Moreover, he said with the reallocation of the deducted budget from the SPS Program to the LREP which is legislative in nature raises significant legal concerns under the Local Government Code.
“While it is acknowledged that LREP plays a pivotal role in strengthening the support functions of the Sanggunian, increasing its funds at the expense of the SPS, a program that directly provides services to the community, is incomprehensible,” he stated.
“Such an action not only weakens the effective implementation of priority programs but also sets a precedent of misallocating funds away from their intended purposes, undermining the trust and confidence of the public in the government’s commitment to transparency, equity, and public service,” he added.
The veto message was referred to the Committee of the Whole and will be tackled during the SP session on Tuesday.
“Pag-uusapan namin kung ito ba ay nararapat ba itong i-override or hindi na. Pwede namang respetuhan, pwede ring baliktarin. Kasama yun sa proseso natin dito sa Sanggunian at ng ehekutibo,” Board Member Juan Antonio Alvarez, who chairs the appropriations committee, said.
He also said the delay in the approval of the budget was caused by a lot of reasons.
“May mali both sides e. Sa part namin, napaabot ng after new year at medyo natagalan. Pero marami ring rason kung bakit nangyari yun. Una, yung memo ni Gov. na pinagbabawalan o magpaalam muna (yung department heads) or yung LFC (local finance committee) na lang ang mag-attend sa budget hearing,” Alvarez explained.
“After two weeks, napagkasunduan din naman at nagsimula na silang um-attend. Then maraming katanungan at may ibang department heads din na humingi ng dagdag so inantay natin ung request at justifications nila,” he added.
He further clarified that since the veto is only partial, all the other parts of the ordinance will already be implemented since the governor has already signed it.
