THE Cebu City Council has deferred the approval of the nine resolutions that will supposedly allow the granting of P1 million each as financial assistance to the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in nine barangays.
During the deliberation of the resolutions sponsored by Councilor Jessica Resch, who sits as ex-officio member of the council being the SK Federation president, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera questioned some of the items in the proposal.
Pesquera said that for Barangay Tabunan alone, a paint was estimated to cost P10,000.
“I’m not against the activity or giving assistance to the barangay (SK). However, in terms of the costing, I’m afraid that we will be accused for overpricing,” she said.
Pesquera said she believes the prices in the proposal were jacked up to reach P1 million, which is one of the requirement to get financial assistance.
In response, Resch said prices were just estimates and all disbursement will follow the needed procedures.
She also assured that any procurement will go through a bidding in City Hall.
The matter prompted members of the Council to agree to defer for a week the approval of the resolutions while clarification is being sought.
Apart from Tabunan, SKs in Barangays Tejero, Bonbon, Toong, Sambag I, Kinasang-an, Punta Princesa, Sapangdaku and Babag also submitted their proposals to get the P1 million financial aid.
But even before the proposals of the nine barangays, other SKs of the other city barangays also submitted their proposals. They were approved by the council.
These include the SKs in Barangays Budlaan, Guadalupe, Busay, Kasambagan, Sawang Calero, T. Padilla, and Talamban.
Resch earlier said SKs in the barangays would have to submit their project proposals to get the financial assistance.
The aid is Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s election promise to the youth leaders.
Osmeña earlier promised that he would fund SK projects worth at least P1 million in exchange for their support in electing a federation president who will support his administration. (RVC)