THE Cebu City Council will hold a special session today to discuss the biggest supplemental appropriation ever proposed by the executive department in the history of the City Government.
Supplemental Budget (SB) 3, totaling P1.375 billion, is expected to be approved within the week, with the second biggest chunk of P340.353 million to be spent on infrastructure projects for the barangays.
The biggest allocation is P370 million as payment for the city’s foreign debt, which is supposedly due in 2012 yet, incurred over the construction of the South Road Properties.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña wanted to release the funds before the campaign period starts, and said he would not mind if his critics question the timing and the amount of the extra budget.
If the council approves it, it will be the first time for the City to pass a supplemental budget amounting to P1.375 billion, which is almost half or 43 percent of the 2010 annual budget of P3.196.
Also, the proposed SB 3 is just 21.429-percent short of the eight supplemental budgets passed in 2009 that totaled 1.75 billion.
City Councilor Jose Daluz III, City Council committee on budget and finance chairman, said after the special session today, a budget hearing with the department heads will follow on Thursday so that they can hold another special session on Friday for the final deliberation on the proposal.
“We are trying to catch up with the projects and the City’s other payables,” he said when asked about the haste.
According to a list the executive department provided, most of the barangay infrastructure projects are renovations, road concreting and construction of multi-purpose buildings, health centers, and drainage.
The biggest allocation is P24.5 million for a “drainage project from (Sitio) Mahayahay to 4th St. (in) San Antonio Village” in Barangay Apas; followed by P12.613 million for a drainage project at Guadalupe Heights Village in Barangay Guadalupe.
SB 3 also includes:
* P40 million to fix the Cebu City Sports Center, particularly the rubberized track
* P5 million for the senior citizens and a scholarship program for Cordova town residents
* P20 million to buy vehicles for department heads
* P5 million to buy hoses and barrels for the mountain barangays affected by the dry spell
* P45 million to buy heavy equipment
* P24 million as financial assistance for the judiciary
* P7 million to buy fire tankers
* P1.28 million to buy communication equipment
* P14.41 million for expenses of the Cebu City Medical Center emergency department
* P690,000 for the Office of the Regional State Prosecutor, which is for the monthly incentive allowance of seven prosecutors at P5,000 each (P450,000); traveling expenses (P140,000), human resource development expenses (P60,000), fuel and other contingent expenses (P20,000), and office supplies and equipment (P50,000).
* P340.353 million for barangay infrastructure projects
* P9 million for an irrigation project, toilet bowls, an ambulance, and garbage trucks for north district barangays.
* P18.482 million for a minibus each for 11 south district barangays and garbage trucks for other barangays of the south district.