Only P55,000 left of P10-M inaugural budget

A little more than just P55,000 has been left over from a P10-million government budget for the June 30 inauguration of President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay. This was disclosed Tuesday by outgoing Presidential Management Staff secretary Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn. Cash advances made for the inauguration have reached P9,944,485.00 as of June 29, she said. The remaining P55,515 does not include food and decoration costs at the vin d’honneur reception to be held in Malacañang immediately after the inaugural, Bautista-Horn said. Of the total cash advances made, P1.871 million was allotted to video gear and television equipment to be used at the Quirino Grandstand and Quezon Memorial Circle, she said. Another P1.412 million has been spent for the sound system, P1.198 million to the “videosonic" or audio-visual equipment and facilities, while P636,384 has been allocated for stage riggers or platforms. A separate P778,400 has been used for power generators. A total of P879,400 went to meal allowances of policemen detailed at the two event site while P33,750 went to the allowances and requirements of the advance security party for the Presidential Security Group. Another P411,975 went to the allowances of the bulk of the PSG that would provide the main security. Some P1.465 million was also spent for the hotel accommodation of the visiting foreign diplomats and dignitaries, P910,000 for their transportation, and P346,500 for their logistical needs. - RJAB Jr/KBK, GMANews.TV