The Catanduanes Development Council last week unanimously approved Supplemental Annual Investment Plan No. 3 that included the P29.5 million given to the provincial government as its share in the P6.197-billion Bayanihan Grant to provinces for the COVID-19 campaign.
In its meeting held last Wednesday (April 22, 2020), CDC members, including seven (7) municipal mayors – Remigio Villaluna of Bagamanoc, Juan Rodulfo of Bato, Glenda Aguilar of Caramoran, Honesto Tabligan II of Pandan, Francisco Camano Jr. of San Miguel, Emeterio Tarin of Viga, and Sinforoso Sarmiento Jr. of Virac – did not object to the proposal submitted by Acting Governor Shirley Abundo.
The entire Bayanihan share of the island will be spent for the operation of COVID-19 isolation and treatment facilities, as well as the operation of maintenance of 23 provincial checkpoints.
The supplemental AIP has a total amount of P134 million, with P100 million proposed to come from a public-private partnership for the establishment of a medical diagnostic laboratory for highly infectious and diarrheal diseases capable of testing for COVID-19. The still unfunded laboratory project is being pushed by Provincial Board Member Natalio Popa Jr.
The amount of P4.5 million will sourced from the General Fund for the grant of Special Risk Allowance (SRA) to frontline public health workers, equivalent to 25 percent of their basic salary, as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.
On the other hand, the P29,506,600.00 given to the province under the Bayanihan Grant will go to the following programs, projects and activities that would benefit the Eastern Bicol Medical Center (EBMC), Ligtas COVID Facilities and District Hospitals: P3.45 million for the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), a portion of which will be distributed to checkpoints; P10 million for the procurement of medical equipment such as laryngoscope sets, Concurrent Media Access Laryngoscope (CMAC) and others; P6,020,865.00 for the purchase of medicines and vitamins; P1,316,635.00 for the procurement of hospital supplies; P1,345,900.00 for the procurement of disinfectant, sprayers and other disinfecting supplies and misting equipment; P1.5 million for the upgrading of EBMC and Ligtas COVID Facilities; P3.375 million for the provision of food for health workers, frontliners, PUMs and PUIs; P500,000.00 for the accommodation expenses of health workers and other personnel; P150,000.00 as provision for gasoline and diesel in the transport of patients; P848,000.00 for the procurement of equipment for non-contact monitoring of patients, such as 32-inch TV monitors, CCTV, DVR, port switch, router, pre-paid WiFi, portable radios, radio base, intercom and others; and, P1 million for the food, PPEs, medicines and vitamins of those manning the 23 checkpoints.
The released amount is equivalent to one half of one-month Internal Revenue Allotment share of the province for this current fiscal year.