Talisay Council: No politics in budget deliberation

CEBU, Philippines -  Members of the Alayon party-dominated Talisay City Council assure Mayor Johnny De los Reyes that the city government will not operate on a reenacted budget. 

De los Reyes’ proposed P731.6 million 2015 budget, which is more than 40 percent higher than this year’s P516 million allocation, will go through close scrutiny on the budget deliberation set in the coming weeks. 

The City Council already approved the 2015 budget on the first reading. 

Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, said the majority bloc intends for the passage of the city’s 2015 annual budget based on the merits and priorities, not politics. 

“We all know that the mayor slashed our job orders but we will not retaliate in the 2015 budget. Pero atong i-scrutinize ang mga items iyang gi-present diri sa legislative kay naay mga items that needs an explanation,” Alesna said. 

A bulk of the budget’s amount covers the general fund of P608,171,630.

Also included in the budget is the 20 percent development fund in the amount of P83,855,407; the Talisay City College fund amounting to P14 million; waterworks operations, P579,224.14; market operations, P10 million  and slaughterhouse operations, P15 million.

The sources of funding include income from business permits, aside from the savings from the previous budgets and the city’s other income-generating collection agencies, such as the public markets.

Other sources of the city’s revenues would come from local taxes, permits and licenses, service income and income from economic enterprises.

Councilor Doroteo Emit, chairman of the committee on tourism, said there are items in the general fund like the P5 million for tourism, which his committee did not even utilize. 

“Naa na sa items ang tourism pero wala gani gyud ko nakagamit niini, wala gani ni nako nagamit sa akong tourism activity,” Emit said. 

Also, Councilor Antonio Bacaltos pointed out that the appropriation of P4 million for the task force Mananga was appropriated but was not utilized because the task force is inoperative. 

Majority Floor Leader Richard Francis Aznar said he wants the passage of a “realistic” budget. 

Aznar wants the items for job orders to be secured, especially on their honorariums. 

The annual budget is prepared by the executive department and submitted to the legislative council. It is supposed to be approved before Dec. 31.

Under Section 319 of the Local Government Code, the council must enact the annual budget for the ensuing fiscal year on or before the end of the current fiscal year.

According to the Local Government Code, “only annual appropriations for salaries and wages of existing positions, statutory and contractual obligations and essential operating expenses in the annual and supplemental budgets of the preceding year shall be deemed reenacted and disbursement of funds shall be in accordance therewith.” —   ATO (FREEMAN)