CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council yesterday approved a trimmed down budget for 2014.
Of the P10 billion proposed budget submitted by Mayor Michael Rama, the city council, through an ordinance authored by Committee on Budget and Finance chairperson Councilor Margarita Osmeña, approved a budget of P5,896,550,967.82 to keep the city government running for the year 2014.
Despite the budget cut, Rama said the approval of the 2014 budget was a Christmas present to his administration.
“It is a very good Christmas gift. And I thank God for that,†Rama yesterday said. He, however, refused to comment on the fact that the council did not approve some appropriations he earlier pushed in his budget proposal.
For the 2014 budget, Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses topped the appropriation with P3,228,918,214.13, followed by personal services with an appropriation of P947,173,218.00.
Capital outlay and subsidy to Special Accounts was given a budget allocation of P902,174,266.44 and P818,285,269.25, respectively.
Osmeña stressed that the council, especially her committee, did not just indiscriminately slash the proposed budget from the executive department. She said the council allocated funds to projects that needed more financial support.
“Yes, we did not approve vague ones like a P200 million for various projects and the vehicles for some of the councilors. But we included the P500 per month hazard pay of barangay health workers since these people are exposed to health hazards while on duty. We did not just slash and slash. But we also augment what is deserving,†she explained.
She added that should the city treasurer's office be able to collect more funds, which could be properly identified and used as the fund source, the council would not hesitate to approve a supplemental budget.
The budget ordinance also specified P40 million for city-sponsored activities like the Sinulog Festival (P20 million), other activities subject to approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (P11.45 million), Christmas activities (P5 million), Charter Anniversary Activities (P3 million), Kaplag or Finding of the Image of Sr. Sto. Niño, as well as Cebu City Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (P250,000 each) and Earth Hour activities (P50,000).
Incentive allowance for law enforcers in the city, including the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Maritime Police was given a budget of P65.556 million, with monthly allowances ranging from P2,000 to P8,000 each, depending on the rank and office.
Policemen serving mountain barangays were given a separate budget appropriation of P1.5 million, with a monthly allowance of P2,500.
A total of P4.176 million was allocated for the Cebu City Fire Department, with the city fire marshal getting a monthly allowance of P8,000, while the rest of the firemen get P2,000 each.
P3.5 million was appropriated for allowances for the City Fiscal's Office, where the City Fiscal gets P12,000 and assistant fiscals get P10,000 each every month.
Regional State Prosecutors, meanwhile, got a P744,000 fund allocation for the P12,000 monthly allowance for the regional prosecutor and P10,000 for his assistants.
An appropriation of P11,664,000 was set aside as aid to the judiciary, specifically for Court of Appeals justices and clerks of courts, RTC judges and clerks of courts, and MTC judges and clerks of courts, among others.
Working as the major youth arm of the city government following the postponement of the Sangguniang Kabataan elections that led to the vacancy in council representation, the Cebu City Youth Development Commission was given a fund allocation of P3 million, with P1 million going to the Pasko sa Sugbo activities.
Sewerage and Drainage System, under the Engineering Office, was given P20 million, which will be used to purchase a declogger machine for culverts and canals. A total of P50 million was also appropriated for the lot purchase to improve the Mahiga River.
The council also approved the Special Accounts budget amounting to P1,110,689,124.25 for seven accounts: the Local Development Fund gets the chunk with P550,419,652.94, followed by hospitals with P321,737,127.31, then the City Traffic Operations Management with P131,128,489, City Market with P48,421,517, City Abattoir with P29,704,707, Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor with P22,277,631, and CREMDEC with P7 million. -/QSB (FREEMAN)