Mayor Garcia disappointed over SB 1 cut

CEBU, Philippines — Although “grateful,” Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia admitted disappointment over the reported consensus of the City Council on the Supplemental Budget (SB) 1, which scrapped his proposal for the livelihood program.

He believed that politics played a role in the deliberation.

“Disappointed, of course... I think and believe that there is a political reason behind their removal of the livelihood program,” Garcia told reporters yesterday, a day after the deliberation and approval of the trimmed SB 1.

Last Wednesday during the council's regular session, Councilor Noel Wenceslao, Committee Chairman on Budget and Finance, presented the report and recommendations based on the committee's assessment of the proposed SB 1.

In his report, he said that these findings were derived from the second wave of budget hearings, right after they resolved that SB 1 should be resubmitted by the executive department for the recommended amendments.

Among the salient points and amendments that Wenceslao highlighted was the alleged “lack of interest” on the part of the Office of the Mayor as the implementing office for the livelihood program amounting to P88 million.

He added that the same office had unjustifiably failed to explain and present the program despite repeated invitations and requests to send a representative to present the direction of the program before the council.

“In conclusion, since there is no clear direction and explanation for the livelihood program, this committee cannot move forward with the said program due to these reasons,” he told the body.

This led to the trimming down of Supplemental Budget 1 to P587.7 million from the proposed amount of P635 million.

Wenceslao then highlighted that this particular item would be reduced to P1 from P88 million.

“But at any rate, I am very grateful for their approval of the other items,” said Garcia.

As he believed that politics may be behind the deliberation, Garcia said that the intense political polarization would be gone after the May 12 elections.

After rounds of budget hearings and two waves of legislative processes, the Cebu City Council has approved the proposed but trimmed the first supplemental budget of the year, which included the Charter Day bonuses.

In line with this, Garcia said that the council had laid down the condition that the Charter Day bonuses for the Cebu City Hall employees must be released before the end of the month.

The Charter Day bonuses are among the items included in SB 1, which is also the primary reason that it went under a second legislative process after the council increased the proposed amount to P35,000 from P25,000.

“Ato na'ng gi-promise sa atong mga empleyado nga ato'ng i-release as the soonest possible time, and you know very well that I have a knack for releasing assistance and salaries on time,” said Garcia.

He added that, granting there are no possible hitches along the way, the distribution may be done in the first week of April.

Garcia assured that this will not be affected by the Comelec ban on the disbursement of funds since it is an entitled bonus and not a social service-related dole-out.

One of the items approved in SB 1 was the continuation of the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), with a budget allocation of P210 million.

Garcia said the amount will be used to complete the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors, which were initially intended to be funded by a donation drive organized by the Cebu Medical Society (CMS).

He reiterated that the City Government is determined to explore possible legal remedies due to the inaction of CMS in routing the donated amounts to the City Government. -  JG (CEBU NEWS)