MANDAUE City Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing proposed to the council a budget of P2.395 billion for 2017.
The intended budget for 2017 was about P274 million lower than the 2016 budget.
The budget decreased because most of the City’s infrastructure next year will be under a private-public partnership and the City will spend less on infrastructure until there is a concrete drainage and traffic master plan for Mandaue, said the mayor.
During the City Council session yesterday, the proposed budget for next year was referred to the committee on budget and appropriation.
“Now, I don’t want to to spend any more money until we have a plan for its utilization because, mao lage na, we keep on spending for years and in the past years for drainage. We keep spending for traffic and road widening and concreting. But, as you know, traffic still exists, flood still exists,” Quisumbing said.
He said if the City will be able to “bid out” the drainage and traffic master plan by the end of the year, they expected for its completion in May or April next year.
The mayor wanted to be able to complete the plan before the City will embark on a “massive infrastructure spending initiative.”
The big bulk of the proposed budget is for the general fund, with a proposed allocation of P2.083 billion. This is lower from this year’s budget of P2.4 billion.
Also included in the proposed budget is an allocation of P112.4 million for the City Public Market, P10.3 million for the slaughterhouse, P42.3 million for the Mandaue City Hospital and P6.2 million for the City Sports Complex.
Priorities
In his budget message, Quisumbing proposed P140.695 million for the development projects, which is the 20 percent of the City’s Internal Revenue Allotment.
“Full provisions are made for all statutory and contractual obligations. Like 20 percent development fund, employee benefits, aid to component barangays, loan amortization, maintenance of city roads and bridges, anti-drug campaign are allotted a fair share of the budget,” a part of the mayor’s budget message read.
Based on the general fund, P1.1 billion was allocated for “non-office.” It was followed by P173.2 million for the City General Services Office and P137.8 million for the City Engineers Office.
Dredging
While the drainage master plan is still being worked out, Quisumbing said they will conduct massive dredging operations on the waterways.
The City Government will buy amphibious dredger for such purpose.
“We will be doing a lot of house cleaning early next year. Once mahuman ang drainage master plan (will be completed), we will be allocating infrastructure spending based on that plan,” Quisumbing added.