THE cities of Angeles and Mabalacat grew by leaps and bounds in the past 10 years. Their growth can be traceable to many factors. For one because they are geographically located near the expressways and the abundance of nearby Clark Freeport cascaded. The two cities, more or less have P2 billion each as annual budget. Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin and Crisostomo Garbo with their fresh mandate are hitting the bullseye on their trajectories, plans and programs. Spending government money can be likened to a family household wherein the income must be spent wisely. Example. Husband and wife with three kids and expecting the family to expand must be judicious in spending whatever they have. It is ideal and practical for a household to have savings. In order to do that there must be budgeting. Now let's talk about budgeting. (Members of the sanggunians, particularly the new ones, this may be beneficial to you).
In local governance, general fund budget is prepared by the budget officer with the collaboration of the mayor's office and other departments. Each department has programmed expenditures. Normally, the very thick Local Expenditure Program. This LEP is transmitted to the sanggunian and each member is provided a copy, given supposedly in October. The general fund budget contains program appropriations and obligations.
Once it will be presented in a plenary session, it is immediately referred to the committee on finance where hearings will be conducted. It is at this juncture that the Finance Committee chairman will invite department heads and explain their expenditures. It is very similar to what the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives do. After the hearings, it will be sent back to the plenary session for the second reading where debates and amendments take place till its approval on the third and
final reading. As a councilor, either you belong to the majority or minority, it is incumbent upon each member to be meticulous in combing the budget, after all it is the taxpayers money. There's nothing better having a sound fiscal management policy.
I served three, not in consecutive terms, the Angeles City Council and thank God, my long years in many board rooms of government and private corporations, I was able to self-taught myself how to crunch numbers. That experience helped me in good stead in performing my function as a member the city council.
The LEP has a budget message from the mayor. It is not the mayor himself who necessarily write the message but someone maybe from the budget office or his administrator. Unfortunately, the public have no entitlement of the thick LEP. It is in this regard, council sessions are open to anybody which are normally being held once a week. Make time and attend if you have concerns. Particularly during the budget deliberations where arguments among the councilors take place. You might find it very interesting. And it will further show you where your tax money is being spent.
The big bulk of incomes comes from the internal revenue allotment (IRA), Php million, business taxes and license, and real property taxes. The big bulk of expenditures is on salaries and wages which total to 45% of the LEP. Sometimes it breaches the cap, but somehow the executive department can go on a roundabout fashion it will breach the threshold of 45%, and this is not permitted by law. Politics is the reason for this. The mayor hires hundreds if not thousands of job order (J.O.) employees who are his political wards.