Council objects to 2 executive orders Mayor Rama recently issued

THE Cebu City Council questioned the provisions of two executive orders (EO) recently issued by Mayor Michael Rama.

EO 13-3 no longer allows charges to the P80-million city-aponsored activities account to pass through the legislative body.

EO 13-2 establishes the guidelines for the use of the P50-million site development project in Barangays Budlaan, Busay, Binaliw, San Jose, Pit-os, Lorega and Talamban in the north district and Suba, Mambaling, Sawang Calero, Pasil, Tisa, Labangon and Bulacao in the south district.

Under the first EO, Rama said only the mayor’s office will evaluate, approve and monitor requests of barangays for sponsorship of events and activities.

Events and activities that are allowed to be charged to the P80-million fund are bingo socials, raffles, sports events, cultural shows and contests, and trainings or seminars, among others.

Checks and balances

In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said the mayor cannot bar the council from reviewing all charges to the city-sponsored activities account.

“He cannot do that. Naa man na sa balaud (Local Government Code) (It’s in the law),” he said, adding that it is part of the principle of checks and balances between the executive and legislative department. “But no big deal. He can humor himself,” Young added.

According to EO 13-2, items that can be charged to the P50-million site development fund are the construction of pathways and alleys; road improvement; rehabilitation or repair of wire or pipe connections, drainage systems, septic tank or cisterns, water reservoir or wells, lighting system, and toilets and accessories.

Office furniture, equipment and fixtures, job order for maintenance services, fees in the approval of site development plan and surveys and earth moving works can also be charged to the fund.

Councilor Alvin Dizon questioned some of the items to be funded by the money like the purchase of office furniture, equipment and fixtures as well as salaries for job-order personnel.

Justification

Dizon said these are covered by maintenance and other operating expenses of the City Government’s P5.2-billion budget this year.

Dizon said the site development fund is under the City’s capital outlay.

“This (EO) is not in conformity with the appropriation ordinance covering the 2013 budget,” he said.

But Councilor Jose Daluz III, who is an ally of Rama in the City Council, said the furniture to be purchased, such as chairs and tables, among others, are for the use of the homeowners associations.

As to hiring job-order personnel, Daluz said this is needed to finish site development projects in the 14 barangays.

The two EOs issued by the mayor were penned last Feb. 19.