SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — To address the pressing needs of many households still without electricity, barangay captains appealed for the approval of the province's P1.07-billion Supplemental Budget (SB No. 1) that includes crucial allocations for streetlights and home solar energization projects.
Despite the urgency, the Provincial Board failed to muster a quorum during their regular session on Monday. Only five members were present, while nine others were absent due to filial or sick leave, or official business.
This setback delayed the discussion and approval of the budget, which includes P200 million for streetlights and P375 million for home solar energization.
Fritz Godfrey Pollicar, president of the Association of Barangay Captains in Anini-y town, voiced the concerns of his fellow barangay leaders.
“There are still households in our barangays that have no electricity in their homes, and our barangay could not afford to provide it to them,” said Pollicar.
Data from the Antique Electric Cooperative (Anteco) indicated that as of 2022, 13,167 households lacked electricity, a number projected to rise to 15,000 by the Provincial Planning and Development Office.
Call For Decisive Action
Several board members had previously questioned these allocations during the May 20 session, advocating instead for increased funding for livelihood, agriculture, sports, and nutrition programs.
Vice Gov. Edgar Denosta remains hopeful for progress, aiming to call a special session within the week or secure approval by the next regular session on June 10.
“We hope to be able to hold a special session within the week once the provincial board members are already available,” Denosta remarked.
As the situation stands, the delay in approving this budget continues to hinder essential infrastructure improvements, leaving many households in the dark and communities waiting for necessary streetlight installations.
The need for prompt and decisive action is clear, and all eyes are on the Provincial Board to see if they can overcome these hurdles and deliver on their promises to the people of Antique.
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