Guv pushes for PAMANA funds release

From the Visayan Daily Star (Nov 11): Guv pushes for PAMANA funds release

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday asked the Department of Interior and Local Government to fast-track the release of the PAyapa at MAsaganang PAmayanan (PAMANA) Program funds under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process for Negros Occidental.

This is in support of the government closure agreement with the Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/ Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade Tabara-Paduano Group, Marañon told DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero.

Marañon, who led a Negros Occidental provincial government group at a meeting with Panadero at the DILG yesterday, said the OPAPP and the province of Negros Occidental had entered into a Memorandum of Agreement that would cover PAMANA projects and interventions as part of the peace agreement.

He said the full PAMANA-DILG fund has not yet been released to the DILG in Negros Occidental. If the funds are not released they will revert to the General Fund by the end of December, he added.

The funds are needed for the setting up of resettlement areas for RPA-ABB communities in Barangay Celestino Villacin in Cadiz City, Barangay Locoton in Kabankalan City, and Barangay Bagongon in San Carlos City, all in Negros Occidental, Provincial Consultant Rafael Coscolluela, who was at the meeting, said.

Negros Occidental Provincial Planning and Development Officer Marlin Sanogal said Panadero agreed to fast-track the downloading of the PAMANA funds care of the DILG from year 2012, 2013 to 2014.

The provincial government needs to submit some minimum requirements and funds should be downloaded before the end of the year so it will not revert back to the national treasury, she added.

A request will also be made to the Commission on Elections to exempt the implementation of PAMANA projects from the election ban so they can be fast tracked in the first quarter of 2016, she said.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2015/November/11/topstory4.htm