Rama calls council “incompetent” and “inefficient” over SB 2 delay

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is losing his cool and started calling the City Council as “incompetent” and “inefficient” for the delay in the passage of the Supplemental Budget No. 2.

“Shame on you. You are the one who is incompetent because you are not performing your job,” an irate Rama said.

“Hurot na ang pasensya sa Mayor,” he added.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said Rama should not blame the council for the delay in the passage of the SB 2 because it is the executive department that has not submitted the supporting documents required of it.

Young said the council cannot just approve the proposed budget without ensuring that the necessary supporting documents are being complied with because they are reminded by the Commission on Audit (COA) to do their jobs well in ensuring that government funds will not be wasted.

The mayor said his office submitted the proposed SB2 in July yet but until now the council has not approved it. The delay may jeopardize the operation of the city because among the proposed expenses are for the additional allocation for fuel, collection of garbage and others.

The mayor was upset of the reports from his department heads that some of the city’s services might be affected for lack of budget.

The Supplemental Budget No. 2 was proposed to answer to these needs.

“They are taking the people as hostage for their own political interest,” Rama said.

Among the proposed expenses in the SB2 is the purchase of P30 million fuel and lubricants for the more than 1,000 vehicles of the city and barangays, P50 million for additional cash incentives of the senior citizens, P71 million for the city’s electric bills, and others.

The council has returned the SB 2 many times because the executive department has not complied with the requirements the council asked it to submit.

The council asked for documents, such as the accounting of Job Orders, among other documents.

Rama challenged the council to prove that SB 2 will be illegal without these documents.

“Nganung sa una, sayon ra man ma-aprubahan? Wala man nag-ilis og mga tawo sa local finance, nganung dugay man?” Rama said.

Rama complained that the documents the council required were not required in the past.

Rama said the council wants to discredit him by delaying the budget.

“Dili man ako ra ang ma-igo ana. Ang mga tawo sad ang mag-antos,” Rama said.

The City Council returned the copy of the SB2 to the Office of the Mayor because one of its signatories is former city treasurer Ofelia Oliva.

City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, head of the City Council’s committee on budget and finance, earlier explained that they have decided to let newly-installed City Treasurer Emma Villarete to sign the document because she will defend it during the budget deliberation.

––  (FREEMAN)