How Sinulog money was spent budget executive has got to explain — Diaz

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilor Aldin Diaz will inquire from City Budget Officer Edgar Mabunay regarding the liquidation report as to the actual cash spent during the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan last January.

Diaz acts as the mayor's representative in the tourism development council,

Diaz said he will be passing a resolution on Tuesday's session asking Mabunay to shed light on issues surrounding the spending of P400,000 cash reward for Talisay City Elementary School contingent after topping the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan and landing fourth place during the Sinulog ritual showdown.

"I will ask him to explain; he needs to inform the council," Diaz said, adding that while he understood the sentiments of  some pupils, no official complaint has reached his office yet.

It was earlier known that the city government appropriated P2 million to finance the contingent's participation.

Mabunay confirmed that he borrowed the P300,000 to pay for necessary expenses, like the fee for the drum and bugle; expenses for food and transportation of props, among others for the Sinulog Mardi Gras.

The remaining P100,000 the cash reward was spent in the victory party for the members of the school's contingent.

According to Diaz, the tourism council had no knowledge on the expenses incurred because Mabunay did not coordinate with nor attend meetings in the council.

"Wala man gyud na siya mi-coordinate sa tourism council. That activity (Sinulog) was supposed to be undertaken by the tourism council but he insisted that he be the one to handle the event," Diaz said.

Diaz said the city budget officer has a lot of explaining to do, including on allegedly withholding the payments to organizers who were tapped to run the city's "Kasadya sa Talisay" in line with the fiesta celebration last October.

It can be recalled that Diaz delivered a privilege speech accusing Mabunay of playing "double standard" at the budget office because the funding for Sinulog sa Kabataan was immediately released, while the payment for Kasadya organizers was not.

The city has yet to pay the remaining balance of P1.2 million to the organizers. (FREEMAN)