Wednesday, November 29, 2006 P8M more asked for Asean tab By Linette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
CITING a shortage of funds, the Cebu City Task Force Asean is asking for P3 million more on top of the P20-million budget it got last June for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit activities.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña also asked the Cebu City Council to pass a resolution appropriating P5 million, which will be spent for the fuel of all police cars that will be mobilized during the summit next month.
The allocation for fuel, he said, will ensure the maximum mobility of all vehicles of the police and other groups assisting the City in its preparations for the summit.
In a letter to the council, City Protocol Officer and Task Force Asean head Nagiel Banacia requested that the City’s Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. funds be used for the task force’s needs.
“We anticipate that the expenditures for the preparations will be separate from the operation expenses during the summit proper,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
The request for the appropriation of additional P8 million will be tackled during the council’s regular session today.
If approved, the funds will cover the P2 million needed for the party, tours and souvenir items for the members of the international media who will cover the summit.
During the party at Bigfoot’s Film Academy on Dec. 9, the City will host a dinner for the members of the foreign press. A fashion show and several bands will also be featured during the event.
At least P500,000 will be used for the hosting of the gala night during the Asean Business Conference, while P300,000 will represent the City’s financial assistance for the spouses committee.
A funds assistance of P200,000 for the Lumad Basakanon, who will perform during one of the summit events, will also be included. The mayor already approved the budget for the fuel and the summit expenses, Banacia said.
In a report submitted to the council, the task force gave a detailed breakdown of all projects and purchases charged to the City’s P20-million budget for the summit.
These included the P8.3 million spent for the supplies, paint, equipment and job orders for the cleanup operations in the city.
Another P2.7 million was used for the makeover of the center islands and some P1.2 was spent for the salaries of 50 job order personnel assigned to the City Agriculture Office.
The state-of-the-art streetlights that will be installed along Osmeña Blvd. were also charged to the Asean budget.
