MinDA 99% Budget Used! “Govt Funds Not Utilized Are Services Undelivered”

In all of the years I served government, I have steadfastly held on to the belief that any part of an agency’s approved budget which is unused by the end of the year represents services which were not delivered to the people.

So, any government chief executive who takes pride in announcing that he has accumulated savings in his office is actually a lousy implementor of projects.

Keeping money is the bank’s job.

Government, on the other hand, is expected to spend for the welfare of the people the taxes it has collected.

When I was Agriculture Secretary, I called for a Budget Utilization and Project Implementation Assessment at the end of each quarter.

This greatly improved the DA budget utilization rate.

When I moved to the Mindanao Development Authority, I was faced with a huge backlog in budget utilization caused mainly by changes in the agency’s leadership following the death of Sec. Abul Khayr Alonto in May.

He was replaced by Atty. Niel Dalumpines in an acting capacity until I assumed in August.

That was when I discovered that with only four months left in the year, the budget utilization was only a little over 60%.

I immediately called a financial assessment meeting where I emphasized to the heads of offices that I will not allow any budget left overs.

There were four more financial meetings after that.

Today, I received a financial tracking report showing that as of Dec. 23, MinDA has disbursed 99% of its budget for 2019.

Whatever amount is left will be the contingency fund to cross over to Jan. 2020.

I am extremely pleased with this development but I am certain that the people we serve are the happiest.

As they say, the people got back in services the taxes they paid government.

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!