THE Mabalacat City Council approved Thursday, July 25, a supplemental budget amounting to P300 million to cover the City Government's operational expenses, including the compensation of job order employees (JOs) for the months of November and December 2018.
Members of the City Council unanimously approved the resolution, which will cover medical, financial and burial assistance; street lighting projects; improvement of health centers; payment of JOs' back wages and others.
During the session two days ago, Councilor Krizzanel Garbo, council committee chair on finance and appropriation, said City Administrator Emmanuel Ignacio earlier sent a request letter endorsing the supplemental budget.
Several queries from councilors were addressed during the previous committee hearing prior to the resolution approval, said Garbo. These include the salaries of job order employees and street light coverage.
She said Ignacio assured that the JOs listed in the master list will receive their back pay.
Councilor Noel Castro clarified to Vice Mayor Gerald Aquino during the session that he has no objection regarding the approval of the supplemental budget.
"I have nothing against supplemental budget. I know that the City Government will use money properly in the right perspective," he said.
The councilor also asked Garbo for an "itemized program" for the supplemental budget. "I just want to know what are these projects, what are these programs. Why is it P300 million?"
Garbo asked council secretary Aileen Pena to furnish Castro and the other councilors copies of the programs of work under the supplemental budget.
Aquino, for his part, apologized to Castro. He said he remembers directing the council secretary to provide the council members copies of the supplemental budget.
Councilor Marcos Castro Jr., together with the other members of the council's majority bloc, seconded the approval of the supplemental budget.
The JO workers thanked the City Council, under Aquino's leadership, and Mayor Crisostomo Garbo for including their back wages in the supplemental budget.