Committee to approve only P240M for projects

CEBU, Philippines -  Only P240 million out of the close to half million pesos supplemental budget proposed by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will be recommended for approval by the Committee on Budget and Finance.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, head of the Budget and Finance Committee, said several projects worth over P200 million were excluded because these were not supported with clear “actual funds.”

Osmeña said the Local Finance Committee composed of the city budget officer, city treasurer and city planning officer, has agreed that these over P200 million-worth projects will be sourced from the “unappropriated balances” in the 2014 annual budget.

Unappropriated balances are funds intended for particular projects that were not implemented yet by the city for some reasons.

 Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella, an ally of Team Rama, said they may not object to the scrapping half of the recommended amount if there are no actual funds to support the projects.

Abella, a lawyer by profession, explained that as a procedure, supplemental budgets shall be supported with actual funds while the annual budget shall be supported with projected or estimated revenues.  According to Osmeña, among other projects which budget was not approved include the financial assistance for the city’s 80 barangays and the purchase of equipments.

“Anyway, kadtong mga projects nga dili maapil sa supplemental budget, adto na lang ikarga sa 2015 annual budget kay hapit na man ‘sab matapos ang tuig,” said Osmeña.

She added that her committee will render a report to the City Council on Wednesday and it is possible that an executive session will be set for the approval of said budget ordinance.  (FREEMAN)