WITH 31 days left before the opening of the Palarong Pambansa 2024, Cebu City’s Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia clarified that the City Government has more than enough funds for the upcoming annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from 17 regions of the country.
Garcia said that after reviewing the budget, he realized he needed to trim it down from P405 million to P262 million.
He said he will be the person accountable during the disbursement of funds to suppliers and contractors.
Priorities
In an interview with “Beyond the Headlines,” SunStar Cebu’s online and news commentary program on Tuesday, June 4, he said it all boiled down to prioritizing items and programs.
“I had to do what I had to do,” Garcia said, citing that during the Palaro, he, as acting mayor, will be signing the documents for the payment to contractors.
There is even a high possibility that the P262 million may be reduced further during the bidding process as contracts will be awarded to the lowest bidder, he said.
On Monday, June 3, Garcia said he prioritized slashing the budget for the rental of portlets and portabaths, from P21 million to P3 million; side events, from P60 million to P20 million; and LED walls, from P135 million to P50 million.
The remaining P143 million will be considered as savings, Garcia said.
In 2023, the City Government appropriated via general funds P200 million for the rehabilitation of the Cebu City Sports Center after closing it to the public in May of that year.
The City Council also approved the request for a P205 million supplemental budget for the Palaro, setting the total budget allocation of P405 million.
In May 2024, the executive department requested an additional P74 million, which was on top of the total P405 million appropriation, for the procurement of benches to be used in the games, but only P65 million was approved.
Saving on expenses
Although Cebu City won the bid to host this year’s Palaro, the acting mayor signed a memorandum of collaboration with the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and the Provincial Government that will allow these local government units (LGUs) to host some sporting events.
He said that working together they will focus on promoting tourist destinations and activities throughout Cebu.
He said Cebu City will not be shelling out money for events and activities that will be held outside its border as the three LGUs will handle all the expenses.
“I had that clarified... they will take care of the expenses -- security, electricity, water, transportation – because the student-athletes will be billeted in schools in Cebu City. Our role is to send them to the venues. Once they get there, the host LGU will take care of the expenses. So the City will end up saving money on security, on portalets, etcs.,” Garcia said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Garcia said they expect 12,000 delegates from the 17 regions and an additional 13,000 spectators composed of the student-athletes friends and family.
Although the delegates will be staying in Cebu for 10 to 12 days, they will actually be competing for fewer days. That’s why Cebu City will coordinate with the Province and the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu in offering a Palaro Tour Package that the student-athletes and their friends and family can avail themselves of during their free time, he said.
Garcia said basketball games will be held in Lapu-Lapu City, while arnis will be held in Mandaue City.
He said the other reason they decided to hold games outside Cebu City is to help decongest traffic here.
He assured that the City Government is fully prepared to billet the delegations in the 20 public schools around the city, pointing to the City’s successful hosting of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association, which was held last month.
As for the update on the rubber replacement of the 400-meter track oval at the CCSC, he said he hopes it will be finished before the Palaro despite the many setbacks and delays after it was closed to the public in May last year.
Garcia said the CCSC will once again be open to the public after the Palaro. / EHP