Friday, November 21, 2008 CH coffers may allow pay hike
WITH a surplus of some P737 million as of Oct. 31 this year, Cebu City officials believe City Hall’s financial standing is robust enough to release the employees’ salary increase differential for nine months amounting to some P33 million.
The City Treasurer’s Office reported that it has so far collected P2.43 billion in taxes and other income, which is 89.49 percent of its targeted collection for the year.
As of Oct. 31 this year, the City Government spent some P1.68 billion, or 66.09 percent of its budget for the entire year.
In a report submitted to the City Council, City Treasurer Renee Empaces said his office has already exceeded their targeted collection of most taxes, and were able to collect P255 million in real property taxes, PP596.7 million in business and other taxes, PP359.3 million in regulatory and permit fees, and P57 million in collections from markets and slaughterhouses.
Budget
For its expenses, the City has so far obligated P685.2 million for debt services for the South Road Properties (SRP), P617.6 million for personal services, P376.5 million for maintenance and other operating expenses and P9.1 million for capital outlay.
City Councilor Jose Daluz III, chairman of the City Council committee on budget and finance, said the City is seen to have huge savings this year, which could be used for supplemental appropriations for projects in early 2009.
“Considering that for November and December gamay na man lang atong gi-expect na gastoanan, hopefully dako ta ug surplus this year. Although the excess will be reverted to the General Fund, we can use this to fund supplemental budget (SB) for next year,” he told reporters yesterday.
The Local Finance Committee and some members of the city council met yesterday for a hearing on the proposed P36-million supplemental budget, which is intended for the lump sum amount of the salary differential of some 5,000 city officials and employees.
“Okay na ang SB 4 nato, and it’s going to be approved by the council next week... Our financial standing is robust, and we can afford to release the salary differential of our workers for nine to 10 months,” Daluz said.
Adjustment
He further said that they intend to release the salary increase by Dec. 17, but it will depend on how fast the Human Resources Develop Office can compute the salary adjustment of the employees, which is required before the City Budget Office can make any disbursement.
The salary increase of government workers was mandated by Malacañang last year yet, for implementation subject to availability of funds.
City Hall has yet to release the increase for three months last year, and for six months this year.
They will also be entitled to a differential of their bonuses for 2007 and 2008, which would amount to one month’s salary differential. (LCR)
