‘Cut Charter Day budget for truck repairs’

THE millions of pesos that would be allocated for Cebu City’s 75th Charter Day celebration on Feb. 24 are better spent on more priority concerns like the repair of garbage trucks.

Vice Mayor Augustus Joy Young pointed this out in response to a complaint from Public Services chief Dionisio Gualiza on the City Council’s refusal to allocate P14 million for the repair of the garbage trucks.

Gualiza attended the council’s executive session yesterday to clarify media reports about his complaints.

Gualiza apologized to the council, which Young said was necessary because he made irresponsible statements about the council.

Councilor Margot Osmeña, the council’s budget committee chairperson, said their figures showed that the Department of Public Services spent only 60 percent of their budget from 2010 to last year.

“You’re complaining (of budget shortage) when you have not even started,” Osmeña told Gualiza.

The council asked Gualiza to furnish them a copy of the memorandum issued by City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete that required him to appear in a press briefing.

During that press briefing, Gualiza reportedly discussed the council’s refusal to pass his proposed P300-million budget. The council appropriated P190 million instead.

The council also required Gualiza to furnish them a breakdown of the P14 million additional funds that he requested for the repair of barangay trucks.

Gualiza said the P14 million was needed to repair damaged garbage trucks that deliver the city’s garbage to the landfill site in Pulog, Consolacion town.

The city government recently shut down the Inayawan landfill site.

“If we lack garbage trucks, then don’t spend millions for the Charter Day celebration. Use it to repair the damaged fire trucks,” Young said

Cebu City Mayor Rama said in a separate interview that he also discourages overspending on the city’s Charter Day celebration.

Councilor Leah Japson, the chairperson of the Charter Day committee, yesterday presented to the council two resolutions seeking the appropriation of P10 million for the Charter Day activities.

Rama told local media that he didn’t authorize the P3.9 million budget that apson was asking for.

But he said among the expenses that the city cannot do away without is the P400, 000 testimonial dinner which would be held at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug.