Thursday, October 02, 2008 Lapu City runs up P25.3M power bill
AFTER paying the Mactan Electric Cooperative (Meco) P25.32 million for its street lighting bills, Lapu-Lapu City still owes the power firm a little more than P100,000 for June and July this year.
City Budget Officer Victoria Andoy said there’s money to settle the bill, charged to the donated funds from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
The mayor’s office has requested the City Council to appropriate P2,312 for June to July, but Andoy told the councilors that the amount covers the consumption only of certain barangays from Poblacion to Pusok.
Accumulated
“We were told that the actual balance is over P100,000 for the entire city. We want to be specific and updated about this because what has been coming to us in the City Council is always the accumulated balance for appropriation,” Vice Mayor Mario Amores said.
He said huge debts could create financial pressure on the City and cause it to suspend some priorities.
The P25.32-million debt includes two months each from 2006 and 2007.
In November 2005 alone, the unsettled bill amounted to P2.66 million. This accumulated to P25.096 million covering the months of March, August, September, October, November and December 2007. Underpayments were noted in May and December 2006 and January to February 2007.
Amores assured that the City Council will approve an allocation to settle the balance as soon as they receive the mayor’s endorsement. (AIV)
