Marikina City council okays P1.5-B budget

The Marikina City council has finally approved the proposed P1.525 billion budget for local projects next year.

Mayor Del de Guzman’s proposal received the green light only on Friday after one and a half months of deliberations.

De Guzman said the proposed budget took quite some time to be passed because it had to go through  several hearings.

These, he explained, had to be undertaken at the committee level to ensure that the budget was passed on time.

“We are happy we (were) able to (do this),” De Guzman said.

Under the Local Government Code, it is the local chief executive who submits to the city council a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year. This is based on statements of income and expenditures provided by the city treasurer, budget proposals of respective heads of departments, and the estimated income and budgetary ceilings of a local finance committee.

The proposal should then be enacted through an ordinance as deemed proper by the city council on or before the end of the current fiscal year.

According to De Guzman, the P1.525 billion will be spread out for use in projects in several areas, including education—in the form of scholarships—health services and infrastructure.

He added that an amount had been set aside for projects that will revive Marikina’s ailing shoe industry.

Vice Mayor Fabian Cadiz said the approved budget would also be used to sustain the implementation of the mayor’s livelihood and environmental projects, among others.