NoCotdev’t body approves 2021 P26-B annual investment plan

 BOUNCING BACK --- North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco presides over the Provincial Development Council meeting on Thursday, August 13that approved the PHP26.6-billion annual development plan of the province for 2021. The governor said the biggest chunk of the budget would go to economic programs stymied by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. (PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH COTABATO PIO, MINDANAO EXPOSE') 

 COTABATO CITY --- Governor Nancy Catamco said Thursday, August 13, 2020 the Provincial Development Council (PDC) of North Cotabato has approved over PHP26 billion worth of programs under its annual investment plan for next year.

During a PDC meeting, Catamco said the council has unanimously approved a total of PHP26,646,375,305 budget for next year.

The budget particulars include general public services (PHP2,375,969,324), economic services (PHP20,355,611,657), social services (PHP3,475,028,470) and other services (PHP439,765,944).

Catamco said a bigger chunk of next year’s budget next year will go to programs that will spring back the provincial economy greatly affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic and other calamities that hit the province.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, North Cotabato had experienced a series of earthquakes in the latter part of 2019, the presence of the African swine fever (ASF) that affected the local hog industry, and the loss of employment of the province’s working class. 

Lined up under the 2021 economic programs were the establishment of North Cotabato Agro-Industrial Park and Agricultural Services amounting to PHP318,513,420; support to entrepreneurial package for victims of disasters (PHP50,000,000); and veterinary services (PHP144,193,741). 

The budget intended for social services was at PHP3.4 billion to be used for a food security program, health services, curative health services improvement programs, social welfare services, human resource development services, and infrastructure support to ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict)-identified barangay beneficiaries. 

Speaking during the meeting, Catamco said her current focus is on how to rebound from the economic slump due to the pandemic. 

While economists are yet to determine the exact losses of the province due to pandemic, Catamco surmised that it is huge and unprecedented. 

“We do not know when this pandemic would end. We have been hit by earthquakes and other natural calamities triggered by typhoons, ASF, and now the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said. 

Catamco urged constituents to work together in defeating Covid-19 for the province to survive the pandemic. (Edwin Fernandez, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE')