PIA Press Release
Saturday, January 28, 2012 Quirino provincial gov’t braces for IRA cutby Thelma C. BicarmeCABARROGUIS, Quirino, Jan. 28 (PIA) -- Governor Junie E. Cua said the province has to tighten its belt as a result of the P23 million decrease in the province’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), from P483 million in 2011 to P460 million this year. Cua said the provincial government has to lessen its maintenance and operating expenses without sacrificing the employees’ benefits and salaries and the priority projects for the barangays. He added that the agro-based infrastructure and livelihood projects in all the 132 barangays will continue despite the decrease of the IRA. “We have already provided P500,000 each to at least 50 percent of the 1132 barangays for their livelihood projects under the ‘I Love Quirino’ caravan program last year and we will resume our convergence project this month,” Cua said Aside from that, the provincial government also provided P50,000 to the barangays’ Sangguniang Kabataan and Rural Improvement Clubs so that they could start their own livelihood projects. The Senior Citizen associations also got P20,000 each. Meantime, Orlan Baliton, president of the Quirino Union of Employees for Solidarity and Teamwork (QUEST) has express his gratitude to the provincial leaders for their concern to the rank and file employees having granted the QUEST’s request for free medical check-up for every employee and free ride through the ‘I love Quirino’ buses from their places to the provincial capitol and vice versa. Baliton said these aids greatly help the employees as they are already saved from the daily travelling expenses especially those who live in Maddela, who used to spend more than P100 daily for their fare. “We are again planning to request additional buses to cater to employees from inner barangays of Cabarroguis and Saguday,” Baliton added. The QUEST president likewise hinted that their group is also set to confer with the provincial leaders for bigger plans that would benefit the 854 regular employees of the provincial capitol. (TCB/PIA 2-Quirino) | 
