THE approval of the ordinance increasing the salary of the doctors to the barrios hired by Davao City was suspended for the next session.
Davao City Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte Tuesday, April 18, moved for the postponement of the item pending the submission of the necessary documents for the smooth implementation of the ordinance.
Councilor Bonifacio Militar questioned the source of funds of the ordinance, which grants increased incidental expenses for the two doctors serving the barrios.
The ordinance for the Memorandum of Agreement to be entered between the Department of Health and the City Government, relative to deployment of two doctors to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas as part of the Doctors to the Barrio Program stipulates the amount each doctor will receive in their service and its source of funds.
"As stated by the budget officer, the budget will be sourced from Supplemental budget number which we have not yet discussed," Militar said.
Councilor Victorio Advincula Jr. also argued that the Council needs the certification of availability of funds before they can approve the ordinance.
City Budget Officer Ermilinda Furog said it was Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who committed the release of P10,000 monthly for the doctors.
Furog said incidental expenses from services rendered by the doctors, who have worked for the city since November 2015, will be included in the city budget under the prior year's obligation.
She added that the salary of the doctors from January to November 2017 will be sourced from the City Mayor's Office budget for the current year under Supplemental Budget 2 which Militar found questionable.
Militar said the Supplemental Budget 2 must be approved first before they can approve the memorandum of agreement.