Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib told provincial offices to tighten their belts since the province will suffer budget cuts next year resulting from lower shares of the local government units (LGUs) from the national tax allocation (NTA).

At the resumption of the Capitol Convocation Program after more than two years of hiatus, the governor revealed the 14.7% drop in the budget of the province in 2023, amounting to P500 million.

The drop is caused by the significant decrease in LGU share of the NTA, formerly called the internal revenue allotment (IRA), which is based on the preceding three-year rule, following low government revenues due to the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

In order to help soften the impact of the budgetary cuts, Jubahib said the province will strengthen its tax administration and shore up its economic enterprises to increase revenues.

He earlier directed provincial offices to strictly observe austerity measures that include the reduction on the consumption of fuel, electricity and other utilities.

The governor, however, remained bullish the province will still be able to fulfill its mandate in delivering basic services and pursuing socio-economic growth.

“Yet, the real challenge for us is how much more we can do with whatever resources available for us. We must rise to the occasion by pursuing a functional budget that truly works in serving the best interest of our people and in building back better,” he stressed.

During the convocation program, Jubahib cited some accomplishments of the first three months into his second term, particularly in pursuing his refined KUYA GOB NG MASA development agenda.

These include over 3,000 beneficiaries of his Zero-Billing program amounting to more than P21 million and strengthening of the e-Governance program and the establishment of the Provincial Health Information Management System (PHIMS).

The province dispersed 7,791 chicken benefitting 2,319 individuals under his flagship DavNor KAAGAPAY program, which won the 2022 Davao Region SDG Champion Award.

It also started the construction of the P47-million transmitter station project of the PTV DavNor 48.

The province further hopes to reclaim the Most Business-Friendly Province Award after coming out as one of the finalists in the national contest.

“Beyond these awards, we feel greatest sense of fulfillment in uplifting the lives of our people,” Jubahib said. (Nobags)