(Magpet, North Cotabato)-The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) through its budget circular no. 2009-1 dated March 10, 2009 has directed local chief executives of two towns from the first district and seven others from the second district of North Cotabato to fill out the form sent by the office for the immediate release of Kilos Asenso support (KAS)fund which was already released by DBM early this week.

In a meeting held last Tuesday, League of the Municipalities of the Philippines-North Cotabato Chapter President Magpet Mayor Efren Piñol handed copies of the DBM letter addressed to the local chief executives and requested them to immediately process the KAS form to be signed by their respective Local Planning and Development Coordinator and Local Budget Officer and the mayors themselves.

The release of KAS came after the decrease in the Internal Revenue Allotment for 2008 of the towns of Banisilan and Libungan in the 1st district and M’lang, Matalam, President Roxas, Arakan, Magpet, Makilala and Tulunan in the 2nd district.

Piñol also handed his colleagues copies of memorandum circular no. 022-2009 issued by LMP National President Mayor Ramon n. Guico, Jr instructing the local chief executives whose programs and projects funds were adversely affected by the decrease in their IRA to immediately accomplish the DBM’s requirement.

The decrease in IRA last year affected not only towns from North Cotabato but also other municipalities 5^th and 6^th class municipalities in Luzon and the Visayas.

Banisilan received the biggest amount of KAS at P854,475 while Magpet got the smallest at P96,729.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, through the circular, asked the mayors to submit the report on their KAS projects status and the schedule of the fund’s utilization.

Andaya also emphasized that the municipal LGU’s should appropriate 20 % from their IRA to serve as counterpart.

Also present in the LMP-North Cotabato chapter meeting was Provincial Budget Officer Mindaluz Cellona who further discussed KAS and briefed the mayors in the procedure in receiving the fund.  (Jimmy Calma)