Rama to Council: Approve SB-2 now

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama yesterday reminded the City Council to take cognizance of their responsibilities as legislators and approve the second supplemental budget.

Rama said the executive department has done its part by proposing SB-2 and the ball is now on the side of the Council.

“They (city council) have a responsibility to do their job…we (executive department) have done our job, we finished our job. I don’t want to push them,” Rama said.

The scheduled “urgent” budget hearing  on the proposed P256.86-million SB-2 did not push through Tuesday after Councilor Margot Osmeña requested for ample time to validate the city’s revenue sources.

Osmeña, head of the Council’s committee on budget and finance, sought for understanding, saying, “we don’t want to rush even it its urgent, especially when it involves the funds of the city.”

Rama submitted the proposed SB-2 last Friday.

In today’s regular session, the Committee on budget and finance is expected to submit a comprehensive list of payables covered under SB-2 in their committee report.

The proposed SB-2 covers payments for payables amounting to P46.8 million, including P10.3 million in 2009 and P27.3 million in 2010.

The payables are what the city owes national government agencies and private contractors.

SB-2 likewise includes a P25-million allocation for personal services, specifically for the Office of the City Administrator; maintenance and other operating expenses (P201.36); and capital outlay intended for infrastructure projects (P30.5 million).

Another P10 million (motor vehicle outlay) is for the mobile patrol vehicles of the Cebu City Police Office.

The budget’s P33.94-million current operating expenditures for gasoline, oil and lubricant, supplies and materials for motor vehicles, telecommunications, janitorial, and security services, with P189,000 set aside for policemen serving the mountain barangays.

Police allowance, including that for the National Bureau of Investigation  and Maritime police operatives, is allotted P39.5 million.

The Cebu City Bureau of Fire Protection personnel, on the other hand, get P3.6 million, while allowance for the judiciary and Office of the Regional State Prosecutor was pegged at P12.9million and P875,000, respectively.

SB-2 also includes P14.78 million as the City Government’s share in the expenses, particularly in the honoraria of the board election inspectors, for the Oct. 28 elections.

Infrastructure projects, like asphalting of roads, got an appropriation of P10 million.  Garbage collection and disposal services is allotted P21.6 million; sanitary landfill concerns, P1 million; and sanitation supplies and materials, P600,000.  (FREEMAN)