WHILE they may not have the numbers in the City Council, opposition Councilor Joel Garganera said he and his colleagues in the minority bloc will still scrutinize the items on the Cebu City Government’s proposed P8.1-billion annual budget for next year.
The marathon budget hearing starts Monday, Nov. 5.
“The truth of the matter is they have the numbers in the council and the mayor (Tomas Osmeña) can get what he wants in terms of appropriations. We just need to make the executive itemize the said appropriation,” he said.
Although he has yet to get a copy of the proposed budget, Garganera said he is interested in allocations for solid waste management, traffic and flood control.
“When we talked about flood control, it should not be limited to what they’re doing right now; it’s palliative. We need to restore our waterways because we were not able to use the maximum capacity of our creeks. As you can see, it’s getting narrower and shallower. If the mayor doesn’t have the political ball to do it, then our flood problem will be perpetual,” he added.
Around 43 percent, or P3.4 billion, of the proposed P8.1-billion annual budget for 2019 has been allocated for general public service.
This takes up the biggest chunk of next year’s expenditure program.
The executive department has allocated at least P590 million for garbage collection and disposal services.
Of the amount, around P232.5 million is for heavy equipment outlay.
Also under general public service is a P205-million budget allocated for the City Transportation Office.
This covers some P17.2 million for miscellaneous traffic management services, P4.5 million for the maintenance of road signs and P3 million for the purchase of reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings and at least P2 million for the maintenance of the city’s traffic light system, among others.
Also included in next year’s allocation under general public service is a P164-million budget for the City Government’s peace and order program.
The biggest slice of the pie in next year’s budget, at P788 million, will go to the Department of General Services.
Around P220 million of this is intended for utility expenses, which include payment of electricity and water.
Some P177 million is also allocated for the purchase of gasoline, oil and lubricants of all City-owned vehicles, including police vehicles that the City gave to the Cebu City Police Office.
While the allocations in some items increased, there were also a few that had lesser than it had for 2018.
From P807 million, the executive department only set aside P455 million for next year’s senior citizens’ financial assistance program.
From P232 million, the budget for the City’s scholarship program was also trimmed down to P158 million.
Meanwhile, the second biggest chunk of next year’s expenditure program is for social services, which takes up 30 percent, or around P2.4 billion, of the draft budget.
This includes a P175-million budget for the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ). The amount is at least P6.7 million higher than its allocation for 2018.
The executive department also set aside P10 million for the purchase of medicines under Champ.
A separate P150 million has been allocated for the purchase of maintenance medicines for at least 50,000 beneficiaries under the Long Life Medical Assistance Program.
About P592 million or seven percent of the proposed annual budget has been allocated for the City’s aid to the barangays.
Some P462 million, or six percent of the draft budget, is also set aside for economic services.
This includes a P235-million allocation for the Department of Engineering and Public Works, which will cover some P127 million for maintenance of National and City streets and bridges, and a separate P21 million for maintenance of drainage systems.