Cotabato province is “debt-free” said Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza in her 2024 State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Tuesday(April 2) held at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium in Amas, Kidapawan City.
“The province is debt-free which means improved services and projects for Cotabato province,” Mendoza said.
She also reported that based on the record of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in 2023, the province of Cotabato ranked number one on Good Financial Management and Accountable Governance with 15 out of its 18 component municipalities passing the DILG’s assessment.
Mendoza attributed the feat to Serbisyong Totoo - the provincial government’s key advocacy program for excellence in government service.
“Serbisyong Totoo is all about good financial management and accountable public governance,” she said.
The province’s good working relationships with other government agencies she said have resulted to P666 million worth of projects, recorded as a trust fund.
The provincial government has also provided P718 million or 20 percent of the national tax allotment to fund economic developments like school buildings, water supply, concreting of barangay roads, and other infrastructure projects.
The key to a growing economy she said, is regular remittances to various government agencies. In 2023 the province has allotted a total of P152 million to the Bureau of Internal Revenue in withholding taxes from the income of officials and employees of the province. The amount is eight percent higher than the P140 million BIR allotment 2022.
The province also generated P135 million in GSIS premiums, P26.1 million in Pag-Ibig fund premiums, and P21.6 million in PhilHealth contributions.
Coffers in good shape
The governor also reported the province’s financial state is sound and stable with actual revenue collections surpassing the targets.
In 2023, the province collected P80 million in local taxes, or 114.55 percent up against the P69.8 million collection target.
In the same period, actual non-tax revenue collection of P559.3 million surpassed 184.55 percent of the P303.2 collection target.
In addition, the province collected P71.8 million for special education fund way above the P61 million target.
Total general fund and special fund surpassed 107 percent of the P3.9 billion target to P4.2 billion actual collection.
Of the P5.1 billion annual budget and four supplemental budgets in 2023, the provincial government has allocated funds for the following: P1.3 billion in general public services, P787.4 million in nutrition services, P800.6 million in social service and welfare, and P2.2 billion in economic services.
Mendoza said the province has a budget savings of P752 million in 2023. This comes from the P683.4 million general fund and the P67.7 million special education fund.
The province posted P14.8 billion in total assets and P799.3 million in liability in 2023.
Additionally, the province has accumulated idle funds over normal operating requirements amounting to P2.3 billion placed under short-term investments and earned interest ranging from 4.7 percent to 5 percent yearly.
The said idle funds can be invested in consonance with the local treasury operations manual, Mendoza said.
Guided by her administration's development goals, Mendoza reported on her administration’s accomplishments in various areas of concern including health, education, infrastructure, general services and welfare of the vulnerable sector, agriculture, tourism, and security.
“Sa gitna ng lahat ng hamon at bigat ng aking responsibilidad, tinitiyak ko sa inyona lagi ninyo akong maaasahan sa lahat ng panahon,” addressing a jampacked gymnasium, Mendoza said.
Mendoza came back as governor of Cotabato province in July 2022. She served as Governor for three terms from 2010 to 2019 and served one term as Vice Governor from 2019 to 2022.
She had her first SOPA on March 14, 2023.
Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza cites Serbisyong Totoo Program as instrumental to the achievements of her administration. Photo Cotabato Provincial Government FB Page
Cotabateños listen to Gov. Mendoza's 2024 SOPA. Photo Cotabato Provincial Gov't FG Page
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