Talisay SP to study councilor’s proposal

Cebu, Philippines - The Talisay City council committee on budget and finance will review the proposal of opposition Talisay City Councilor Valeriano “Val” Ylanan which seeks the inclusion of an allocation for fuel and maintenance in the 2013 annual budget for Talisay City District Hospital’s ambulance. 

This was clarified by administration councilor Richard Francis Aznar after Ylanan accused the majority council bloc for blocking his pro-poor proposal. 

“It is his presumption that we are turning down his good proposal. We are referring it to the committee on budget and finance for further review and study,” Aznar told The Freeman yesterday. 

While he is amenable to the proposal of the opposition councilor, Aznar, who is the chairman of the committee on health, said Ylanan must understand that the proposed 2013 annual budget was already approved last year. 

“How can you include it in the 2013 annual budget when the annual budget was already approved last year?” Aznar said. 

The Talisay City council including the opposition councilors approved the proposed P582 million budget for 2013, which includes P479 million for the general fund, P66.5 million for development fund, P12 million for the Talisay City College, P11.5 million for market operations, P12 million for slaughterhouse operations, and P566,290.69 for waterworks. – Garry B. Lao

Aznar further said the Talisay City District Hospital is funded by the national government.  

“The body wants to ask the opinion of the Commission on Audit kung okay ra ba mohatag. We will ask the opinion of the committee on budget and finance, if the COA says that it is okay to give, then atong pangitaan og budget,” Aznar said. 

Ylanan wants the city to allocate a budget for the Talisay District Hospital’s ambulance, which regularly transports patients from Talisay City District Hospital to Vicente Sotto Hospital and vice-versa.

“Majority of patients who are transported by the ambulance belong to the less fortunate of Talisay City residents. These patients are charged more or less three hundred pesos for the use of the ambulance,” Ylanan said.  (FREEMAN)