2015 annual budget CH makes last minute revisions

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Hall executive department has made some revisions in the project prioritizations and their appropriations in the proposed 2015 Annual Budget.

This was disclosed by Lawyer Jose Daluz III, the mayor's representative to the Local Finance Committee.

"Surprisingly, there are changes and shifts in the priorities of project, which actually the bases for next year's budget," he said.

Daluz said bulk of the proposed annual budget covers four major and vital sectors, such as social, economic, environmental  and governance.

He said the executive department has prioritized, for instance, flooding and drainage over solid waste management for environmental category while for economic; public utilities than livelihood.

Solid waste management and livelihood have been on the top of the list for several years in the budget appropriations, but were "dislodged" on the top spots due to the exigency on drainage and public utilities, including mass transport system and information technology center.

However, the reconstruction of Cebu City Medical Center has remained a priority. For infrastructure, the present administration is prioritizing the concreting of all major roads in the mountain barangays, in line with the farm-to-market project and also road rehabilitation in the urban areas, particularly at the North Reclamation Area. 

Likewise, the construction and rehabilitation of Carbon Market Unit 2 which was hit by fire recently.

Daluz said the prioritization was based on the series of stakeholders' and consultative meetings. However, he did not disclose yet the amount of the "2015 Peoples' Budget or Barangay-based budget", as coined by Mayor Michael Rama.

"We finished the proposed budget at 1 a.m. yesterday. We are happy that we have a feedback mechanism leading to the completion of the budget," he said adding that Rama has initially perused the budget.

The local finance committee is set to submit the budget tomorrow, once the mayor will sign the budget proposal. —  (FREEMAN)