In a dramatic turn of events, the Siquijor Provincial Board (PB) members are expressing outrage over Vice Governor Mei Ling Quezon's actions to block the passage of the corrected P842-million 2024 budget. 

The first version of the annual budget was approved by the PB in December 2023 after a series of budget hearings, but in April 2024, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued a letter citing several technical discrepancies in the document.

The Siquijor Local Finance Committee immediately sat down for a series of meetings to rectify the errors and implement the DBM recommendations so that the document can be resubmitted for approval.   

The corrected budget document was then submitted to the PB last May 7, 2024 after which the PB committee on appropriations immediately set to work by reviewing, and conducting meetings. 

Last May 14 and 21, 2024, the committee headed by Board Member Dindo Tumala submitted its report recommending approval. 

Vice Governor Mei Ling Quezon asked the PB to defer approval of the corrected budget, saying she still had questions about it, and promised to have it approved on May 28, 2024 where the vice governor invited mayors and other officials to attend.

 But tension and fireworks erupted on May 28, 2024 with the vice governor ordering Board Member Erson Digal to escort Capitol consultant, lawyer Frank Dinsay, out of the session hall. 

Digal, being a Board member and not the sergeant at arms tasked to do such things, hesitated, but the vice governor threatened him with contempt so he complied. 

Municipality of Maria Mayor Roselyn Asok, who the vice governor also refused to acknowledge in the hearing along with other Board members who wanted to speak, walked out.

The controversy gained momentum as Quezon had continued to refuse to acknowledge those who would like to take the floor to speak, including Board Member Deeiah Tumarong-Quio, the budget committee vice chairman.

PB Member Tumarong-Quio voiced strong objections to Quezon's conduct. She accused the vice governor of disrespecting the board members by also unceremoniously taking over as the chairman of the budget committee last week, a move which is against procedural rules.

“Ang pag-present sa budget has always been with us sa committee on appropriations. It should be with the committee on finance, following the manual on budget. For the previous calendar of business, the proponent is either Board Member Dindo Tumala as chairperson and me as vice person. So suddenly, when we had our last regular session, and the board members can attest to it, there was sudden changes on (the pages), where it made the change of chairmanship of the annual budget 2024, which is of course, our presiding officer,” narrated PB Member Tumarong-Quio.

“I was emotional because I saw Mayor Rose Asok nga she wanted to speak out for me, I was asking for the floor but dili ko pa-presentahon sa akong key points. I was asking please allow me to present my key points and interpolate me later. Iya gyud unta ko ipaglaban, but she was not recognized. She was not recognized. Even the rest of members of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan, lisud kaayo ma-recognized. All we want is respect,” Tumarong-Quio, vice chairman of the appropriations committee, said.

Board Member Tumala, chairman of the committee on appropriations, said that before the May 28, 2024 meeting/session started, he raised his concern that they might be wasting their time discussing the annual budget, “kay dili diay sakto atong procedure.” This was because Quezon said it was a meeting of the committee as a whole, even if the law states that a committee as a whole must be declared by a vote of majority of the PB members, and not by the vice governor alone. 

The board members further lamented that the vice governor's behavior was dictatorial. 

Board Member Meynard Asok stated, “May 7 gi-agenda. Amo gi-committee hearing on May 9. We were poised to approve the budget on May 14, but then gikuha ni, ni Vice Gov.  Iya gitumban among katungod but out of respect we have given her full time but then she went back and forth. Natingala mi why she is hell bent on delaying this."

"I refuse to undertake anything that will lead to the delaying of this budget. Ang amo karon buhaton, naghiusa mi nga the soonest possible time ato ni i-fast track… kay na-overdue na siya, na overanalyze na siya, sa luto pa ni, napagong na siya,” Asok said.

 “We had time for review and corrections. Dili kami mosugot nga mopatigbabaw ang tingog sa isa ka tawo nga wala sa iyang kasingkasing ang katawhan sa Siquijor,” Asok added.

“Dili kami motugot nga ang atong SP isa ka tawo ra ang nag-diktador. Kay mawala na ang demokrasya diri sa Siquijor kung magpagalong ko niya,” he further said.

The board members are determined to take action to ensure the passage of the crucial budget despite what they describe as the vice governor’s maneuvers and manipulations. As the budget war continues to unfold in Siquijor, the PB members are one in stating that they remain resolute in their stance, vowing to uphold democratic principles and push forward with the budget approval process.

VICE GOVERNOR MEI LING QUEZON'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT

In a post directed to her constituents, Quezon pointed out that the said annual budget for 2024 was disapproved by the DBM.

“Our 2024 budget was disapproved by the DBM in its entirety, effectively putting us on a reenacted budget. To the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, we all understand the significant implications this has on our ability [to] serve our constituents effectively,” she said. 

“It is our duty in the Sanggunian to ensure that this does not happen again, and that we fulfill our responsibilities with utmost diligence and transparency. The budget is the lifeblood of our Province. It dictates how we allocate resources, prioritize projects, and ultimately, howe we improve the lives of our citizens,” Quezon added.

Further, she said that a thorough and meticulous review of this budget is “not just a procedural necessity, it is a moral imperative.”

“Failing to scrutinize this budget comprehensively would constitute grave misconduct and be prejudicial to the service we are sworn to protect and uphold. It is our duty to our constituents, to each other, and to ourselves to ensure that every peso is accounted for, that every allocation is justified, and that every project serves the greater good. I understand that this process may be time-consuming and challenging. However, the stakes are too high for us to overlook any detail. Our constituents depend on us to make informed and wise decisions. They trust us to act in their best interests, and we must not betray the trust,” Quezon’s statement reads. 

(Info courtesy: Provincial Board Member Deeiah Tumarong-Quio, Vice Governor Mei Ling Quezon/FB)