‘Borrowed’ Sinulog prize: Budget exec appears but shows no report

CEBU, Philippines -  The budget executive, who was asked to explain how the borrowed Sinulog prize was spent, appeared before the Talisay City Council yesterday. Not with a liquidation report to show, however.

City Councilor Aldin Diaz grilled City Budget Officer Edgar Mabunay at yesterday’s session, asking who gave Mabunay the authority to disburse and release P2 million in assistance to the city’s contingent to Sinulog 2014 without the prior approval of the Council.

This, on top of an earlier request for Mabunay to explain how he used the P300,000 Sinulog prize he reportedly borrowed from the Talisay Central Elementary School contingent.

When Mabunay could not show liquidation report yesterday, this prompted Diaz to instead ask who authorized the budget executive to release the assistance when there was no resolution from the Council covering the activity.

“Nganong wala man ni miagi sa City Council ang pag-release sa funds before ta ni-engage into this kind of activity (giving assistance to the city’s contingent)?” Diaz asked Mabunay.

In response, Mabunay said there was no need for the Council’s approval since the amount of the assistance was already appropriated under the annual budget.

One million pesos of the P2 million Sinulog fund given to the contingent was taken from the general fund, while the other P1 million was sourced from the Special Education Fund.

Diaz, however, contradicted Mabunay’s statement.

The councilor claimed there is a need for a covering contract for every specific project the city undertakes, which in turn requires approval by the sanggunian.

Diaz explained the appropriation ordinance describes the projects in generic terms, such as “infrastructure projects,”  “inter-municipal waterworks, drainage and sewerage, flood control, and irrigation systems projects,” “reclamation projects” or “roads and bridges.”

Diaz further pointed out that specific sanggunian approval may also be required for the purchase of goods and services which are neither specified in the appropriation ordinance nor encompassed within the regular personal services and maintenance operating expenses.

“If it is in generic title, it needs Council approval. What is stipulated in our appropriation ordinance was socio-cultural activity,” Diaz said. 

Mabunay, for his part, argued that historically, the release of funds for socio-cultural activities, such as joining in the Sinulog, does not pass the Council.

He said this has been the practice even during the previous administration.

On the other hand, City Councilor Doroteo Emit wanted Mabunay to submit his expense report on the P300,000 borrowed Sinulog prize during the next regular session. 

Talisay City’s contingent to Cebu’s grandest festival raked in a total of P400,000 in prizes after bagging the top spot in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan and placing fourth in the Sinulog ritual showdown back in January.

Earlier reports already confirmed Mabunay borrowed P300,000 of the winnings for use in the payment for drum and bugle corps, food and transportation of props, while the choreographer allegedly used the other P100,000 for a party thrown after the contingent’s victory. (FREEMAN)