Wenceslao won’t back huge budget proposal

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao’s bolting from Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan does not guarantee Mayor Michael Rama of his support for a bigger budget in 2015.

Wenceslao said he will only support a budget proposal that is realistic and attainable.

Wenceslao is one of the four councilors who left BOPK to form an independent bloc in the City Council. The three others are Richard Osmeña, Gerardo Carillo, and Roberto Cabarrubias.

Reports had it that Rama is thinking of a P35 billion budget next year. The mayor, however, said the amount could even be higher.         

“Wala pay final nga amount sa annual budget. It could be P35 billion, P30 billion or even P100 billion,” Rama told City Hall reporters.

Wenceslao, vice chairman of the committee on budget and finance, said the P35 billion eyed by Rama is impossible to achieve even assuming the city government is able to sell 45 hectares at the South Road Properties.

 Lawyer Jose Daluz III, the mayor’s representative to the Local Finance Committee, said the 45 hectares would only sale P12 billion and half of the amount is payable within five years installment.

“Amo g’yud nga tan-awon kon ang sources of funds makasuporta ba sa gitinguha nga budget sa mayor usa namo aprobahan ang gitinguha niya nga kantidad,” Wenceslao said.

In fact, the city government is yet to collect the P5.8 billion budget this year. So far, the record shows the city was only able to collect a little over P4 billion.

The various departments of City Hall already submitted their budget proposal for next year. However, the members of the Local Finance Committee are still finalizing it.

Under the law, local chief executives have until October 16 to submit to the legislative department the budget proposal for the following year.  (FREEMAN)