V'zuela officials explain Davao trip

Valenzuela City officials justified their four-day budget conference in Davao over the weekend, saying it was necessary to finish the city government's budget in a short period of time.

City Administrator Carmelita Lozada told The STAR that the conference served its purpose as the city budget is now finished with all of the city councilors giving their approval "in principle", pending some minor changes.

The city council is expected to pass it in today's session with Mayor Jose Emmanuel "Bobbit" Carlos immediately signing it afterwards.

Lozada said some revisions are still to be made due to some adjustments in the computation of some items.

Lozada stressed the trip was necessary to avoid last year's budget crisis when the budget was only approved in August due to differences between the council and Mayor Jose Emmanuel "Bobbit" Carlos.

It was pointed out that the delay was also a result of absenteeism of councilors, department heads and other city officials during budget deliberation conferences at the city hall.

In gathering all the officials in a faraway place without distractions, Lozada said the deliberations went on without a hitch and were finished by the end of the conference.

Officials drew flak from residents last week when they all went to the Mindanao province and holed up in a luxurious resort-hotel for the budget conference. The officials left Thursday and arrived back last Sunday making it a four-day conference.

Residents complained of the conference's likely huge expense, saying the conference could have been conducted right at city hall or somewhere in Metro Manila and save money.