The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has given authority to Governor Victorino Dennis M. Socrates to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Barangay Panacan 2 in the town of Narra for the extension of a grant in the amount of P1 million as a subsidy to the barangay.
The aid is being extended by the provincial government as Panacan 2 has yet to receive its regular National Tax Allocation (NTA) since it was created as a barangay in 2019.
Ferdinand P. Zaballa, Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) provincial federation president and ex-officio board member, said he received a communication from the office of the governor, through Executive Assistant Cesar Sammy Magbanua, regarding the MOA last October 21, after which he moved for the passage of a resolution.
“Alam naman natin na since naging barangay ang Panacan II, hindi pa sila nakakatanggap ng National Tax Allotment and hopefully, maisama na yan this year,” Zaballa said.
Board member Ryan D. Maminta said he also received a letter and a draft MOA from Magbanua, who is requesting that it be signed as soon as possible.
Maminta also said the aid has been approved through a supplemental budget enacted last March. He said the draft MOA has been reviewed by the Provincial Legal Office.
Meanwhile, Zaballa said he also has scheduled a summit for the ABC presidents of every municipality to iron out programs that they want to implement. This was after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections were postponed and moved to October 2023.
“Nagpatawag ako ng ABC summit, ito ay pagtitipon ng lahat ng ABC president sa darating na Huwebes hanggang Sabado kung saan, pag-uusapan namin yung mga programa na sinasabi namin na hindi natuloy because of the pandemic,” Zabala said in a privilege speech he delivered during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session on Tuesday.
“Through this summit, we will see to it na dito sa probinsya ng Palawan ay ma-implement yun because it will be an injustice kung hindi naming gagawin yung mga programang yun and then yun din ang rason kung bakit kami nag-request for the postponement of elections,” he explained.
