Roperos: Budget and politics

Thursday, January 5, 2012

WHAT initially appeared to me as a thorny issue in Cebu City’s political life, surprisingly turned out instead as a sheepish confrontation between two opposing administrative interests in the city government.

The issue over the budget is truly a ticklish one that could split the city’s governance wide open for a political “wounding” that would be too difficult to heal, enough to make the city’s populace suffer the resultant political pain.

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Fortunately, the situation did not turn out to be as destructive as I thought it would, although I could be wrong, politically naïve as I might be.

The way the city council trea­ted the budget with Mayor Michael Rama’s veto spoke of soundness and maturity. In overriding the mayor’s veto over parts of the proposed budget that covers expenses where the council thought the city may not have the needed fund, it did not entirely tie the executive’s hands.

The ouncil allowed the mayor to come up with projects he wishes to implement if and when he feels he has collected enough revenue to cover their actual cost. In other words, the council did not entirely reject the mayor’s proposed projects covered under Ordinance 2301, the Local Development Fund.

Funding for the projects is over and above the P5.2 billion intended for the city’s regular operation covered by Ordinance 2295. Ordinance 2301 is what makes the total Rama budgetary request balloon to P11.8 billion as it covers his programs.

At any rate, the council did not entirely close any prospect of the Rama administration undertaking developmental projects for the city during his term. To me, it seems to be a sound tactical move that gives the city council a share in the political benefits that may be gained from the development program envisioned by the mayor during his incumbency. Now, the City Council can claim a part of the political benefits.

But then, there is also nothing wrong with that, management wise. The possible rapprochement that may emerge from a political meeting of minds may generate the kind of governance that spawns successful public service. It is, after all, the unity of purpose and goals in public service that ensures the deliverance of beneficial life to an expectant public. Essentially, that is what the city’s citizens hope would happen in the city.

Frankly, I think it is incumbent upon both the city council and the city mayor to resolve their conflict of interest and come to a sort of political co-existence that would redound to something good and beautiful for all of us in Cebu.