With the growing needs of a growing province Sorsogon provincial leaders are co-opting by a shared responsibility among its local government units to forward development goals that are felt needs of the populace. This was the unspoken message imparted to local mayors and council members as an initial assessment of the ongoing 7K programs a brainchild by Governor Edwin Hamor.
The local chief executives must lateral their budgets with the province initiatives wherein it slashes the unnecessary programs and hiring of excess job order personnel taking workloads from regular employees freeing the constraint in funding critical development programs in their locality.
The province according to the governor trimmed down the number of JOs numbering nearly two thousand to 1.4k. By that alone millions were saved.
It was noted that Sorsogon will not be IRA dependent until April this year. The beginning balance is 1,976,812,427.66 for 2023 using it as a buffer to implement its development agenda.
Notable in the presentation is the appropriation intended for the fourteen towns and one city of the province which can be tap if their programs are aligned with the provincial direction. The governor emphasized that RA 7160, the Local Government Code, as the bible for local governance calls for equitable funding for the general welfare.
Taking a dig at how the provincial budget is utilized for the past thirty years, the 7K programs are envisioned to empower the communities as it sets aside funding for education, peace and order, cleanliness, beautification, livelihood, health, and environment.
His engagement with barangay chairs and council members a fortnight ago was re-iterated during the dialog with the chief executives the policy-making body of the local governments leading to earn the stripes as a credible leader foregone are the ways that development and investment programs are dictated by one.
The delays of some LGUs in submitting their budget for review and approval by the provincial board snaps the implementation of development plans. Operating on an re-enacted budget should be a thing of the past.
Growing alongside with the province the local chief executives and their policy council is facing a challenge and opportunity as cooperative participation, the key for its success evolves in a strategy of willingness to absorb the impact of the provincial budget tapping its funded programs lateral to the local budgeted programs.
The lackaisadal attitudes of some public officals in governance will reverberate with a political wiff for none knows better than the governor whom to allign in a politics.
The 7K program is a vehicle ride for the LGUs on a discounted rate at that expresses a common goal to serve the aspirations of Sorsogon province to be on the national consciousness map out of its proactive social agendas.