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Thursday, December 18, 2003
P317-M city budget approved
By Dino R. Zabala
THERE will be no re-enacted city budget for the year 2004.
Thus said Dagupan City Councilor Vladimir T. Mata after the City Council unanimously approved Wednesday the P317-million appropriated budget of the City for 2004. The measure was tackled in a special session shortly before noon at the session hall.
During deliberations on the measure prior to its approval, Mata, chairman of the City Council committee on appropriations, said the P317 million in estimated income allocated for the 2004 budget was certified by the Local Finance Committee as reasonable collective income.
"We have conducted several hearings and deliberations on the estimated annual budget and we have also thoroughly reviewed such that would address the need of the City Government, primarily on infrastructures and other priority projects of the present administration," Mata said.
Aside from a certification issued by the Local Finance Committee, which is composed of the City Treasurer's Office, City Planning and Development Office and the City Budget Office, the mayor has also issued a separate certification and approval on the availability of the budget.
City Administrator Rafael F. Baraan, representing the city chief executive, defended the 2004 budget following queries from Majority Floor Leader Councilor Farah Marie Decano.
"The committee on appropriations has also then considered the proposed annual budget, through a series of consultations with the different department heads of the city government," explained Mata.
Mata said the approved annual budget would be funded through the Total Local Revenue, amounting to P158.1 million, and the city's Total Internal Revenue Allotment of P158.9 million, for a total of P317 million.
"The income for the annual budget is realizable for 2004, in as much as we have now the new Fisheries Code and the updated Real Property Tax, aside from the 4,000 business establishments that shall pay their respective business taxes. And this will be a big boost to the city's economy, which, in turn, will benefit the city through better delivery of basic services," clarified Mata.
The proposed expenditures within the approved annual budget are broken down as: personal services - P119,507,703.36; maintenance and other operating expenses - P33,119,336.76; fixed assets and budgetary requirements - P81,630,000; property plant and equipment - P7,250,000; and other capital outlay and non-office expenditures - P75,492,929.88.
Meanwhile, an additional supplemental budget for the P5,000 extra cash gift for each City employee and emergency worker was also approved during the special session.
The extra cash gift, it was learned, came partly from the bulk of the savings of the council in the amount of P1,254,880, covering 40 percent of the total supplemental appropriation of P4 million intended for the purpose.
The P4 million also covers the cost of the extra cash gift of government officials of the City, as per Department of Budget and Management circular no. 2003-7, dated Dec. 5, 2003, among others.
(December 18, 2003 issue)
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