V'zuela execs enjoying Davao junket?

All of Valenzuela City's top officials went on a costly "junket" to Davao to deliberate on the city's proposed budget for the year.

Thad Lozada, public information staffer, said Mayor Jose Emmanuel "Bobbit" Carlos, Vice Mayor Eduardo de Guzman, all of the city councilors and city government department heads are now holed up in a luxurious Davao resort-hotel for "budget deliberations."

Lozada confirmed that the group left Thursday and will be due back this Sunday, making it a four-day "working" trip.

The city government will foot the bill for the expected expensive "conference."

Sources told The STAR the Valenzuela government has taken a long time to draw up and pass a city budget. It was pointed out that other Metro Manila cities and towns have approved budgets by this time.

Carlos has yet to finish a budget proposal which they will pass to the city council for deliberations and approval.

After the council's approval, it will go back to Carlos for final approval.

The city hall was empty of any official except Public Information Office chief Epi Galinato. The situation irked residents who came to the city hall to transact business particularly those who needed the signatures of certain department heads.

"Why did they have to go so far to conduct a simple budget conference when they could have done so right here at city hall?" one resident told The STAR.

"The conference is likely to cost a lot with all of the officials' plane fares and accommodations. This unnecessary expense is very ill-advised considering the hard times the country is experiencing." Another resident, a businessman who refused to identify himself, said.