The coastal cities/municipalities in the eastern seaboard of the Philippines will be the priority target areas for the coastal geohazard assessment while the geologic quadrangles of Regions IVA (CALABARZON) and V (Bicol Region) will be prioritized for geologic mapping by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in 2017. These were among the agreements during the recently concluded Budgeting Workshop conducted by the MGB on April 5 – 9, 2016 in Sequoia Hotel, Quezon City.
The other priorities of the MGB which has been included in the Tier 1 Budget proposal include: the conduct of intensive Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaign on the 1:10,000 geohazard maps to the remaining 13,000 barangays in order to complete the IEC to the 42,036 barangays throughout the country; the conduct of Vulnerability and Risk Assessment in 200 cities/municipalities prioritizing the Yolanda-affected areas; conduct of sub-surface geohazard assessment in the Bohol province, particularly on the municipalities affected by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake; groundwater resource and vulnerability of 18 provinces; performance monitoring of mining permits/contracts; issuance of mining permits/contracts and other mining–permit related documents; endorsement and declaration of new Mineral Reservation areas; rehabilitation of abandoned mines; among others.
These priorities were within the Tier 1/hard budget ceiling that was granted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) pursuant to its review of the Forward Estimates for the budgetary requirements for the ongoing/existing programs and projects of the MGB, with a total amount of PhP 1,096.626 Million, consisting of PhP 486.160 Million for Personal Services, PhP 572.446 Million for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, and PhP 38.000 Million for Capital Outlay. New proposals and the expansion of Tier 1 programs/projects on the other hand shall be included under the Tier 2 proposal. This Two-Tier Budgeting approach was adopted by the DBM to separate the evaluation of ongoing/existing and new proposal/expansion programs/projects.
The Workshop was also able to develop the nationwide MGB Information System Strategic Plan (ISSP) which provides the three-year information communication and technology (ICT) roadmap of the Central Office and the 15 Regional Offices, including the newly created Negros Island Region.
The Workshop was conducted by the MGB in preparation of the submission of its 2017 Budget Proposal to the DBM and was attended by the Regional Directors, Division Chiefs of the Central and Regional Offices, Accountants, Planning Officers and ICT focal persons.
By: Planning, Policy and Intenational Affairs Division
Director Leo. L. Jasareno giving the Welcome Address during the Budgeting Workshop