Cebu City government wants P1.261-B 2002 budget

CEBU CITY — Mayor Tomas Osmeña and City Hall department heads are expected to appear at the city council’s session tomorrow to defend the city’s proposed P1.261-billion budget for 2002.

The inch-thick documents for the 2002 budget prepared by budget officer Nelfa Briones was referred to the committee on budget and management for study after it was submitted for another review last month.

The mayor is giving high priority to salaries and benefits for City Hall’s more than 4,000 employees, with intended expenditures amounting to more than half the entire budget or roughly P568 million.

The remaining appropriations are a mix of infrastructure projects, transport maintenance, buildings and development centers. Services, particularly for health and education, as well as debt servicing were given smaller allocations. — Freeman News Service