Gov. Roel Degamo is handcarrying a petition filed by six city and town mayors in the second and third districts of Negros Oriental to President Benigno Aquino III when he attends the State of the Nation Address on Monday.
The petition signed by Mayors Manuel Sagarbarria of Dumaguete, Marcela Bartoces of Sibulan, Carmelo Remollo of San Jose, Bentham dela Cruz of Amlan, Lawrence Teves of Tanjay City and Valencia Mayor Enrique Gonzalez, is calls for the immediate release of the Php 480 million calamity funds for the repair and improvement of infrastructure damaged by tropical storm Sendong.
The money, which was transmitted by the Department of Budget and Management to Negros Oriental, is part of the total allocation of Php 961 million that was promised by the national government.
While the money is with the provincial coffers, the same could not be released because the DBM issued a negative Special Allotment Release Order, or Negative SARO, nullifying the release of funds.
The funds were ordered withheld by the national government after DBM Undersecretary Mario Relampagos said there were some guidelines on the large-scale fund releases that were not complied with.
Degamo said he is submitting the petition to the President because the Province had complied with all the guidelines but that it is only being withheld because the fund release was blocked by a politician.
