State fiscals’ allowance included in Rama’s SB1

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has included P1.134 million as financial assistance for Regional State Prosecutors (RSPs) in the Supplemental Budget 1 pending before the Cebu City Council.

The extra budget would give six regional state prosecutors P15,000 per month.

Cebu City prosecutors and court employees are also seeking an increase in their monthly allowances from the city from P10,000 to P18,000 per month.

However, the mayor didn’t include this in the supplemental budget and hasn’t given his commitment for an increase.

City Prosecutor Nicholas Sellon wrote the council after the city’s budget for city prosecutors allowances was reduced from P3.5 million in 2011 to P2.9 million this year.

RTC employees are also asking for P12,000 as aid for the travel expenses of 50 court personnel who will attend the Philippine Association of Court Employees national convention in Puerto Princesa from May 9 to 11.

Rama included only the RSPs allowance.

Approval of SB 1 would also grant City Hall employees bonuses this month —a P7,000 Charter Day bonus on top of the P3,000 anniversary bonus that is already in the 2012 budget.

Rama said the P10,000 cash incentive is the biggest anniversary and Charter Day bonuses employees are set to receive.

Rama said he plans to submit more supplemental budgets for Operation Tuli, repair of garbage trucks and other projects.

The city’s assistance for the six regional state prosecutors was “defunded” in this year’s annual budget, said Regional State Prosecutor Fernando  Gubalane in a letter to the council seeking reconsideration.

Councilor Margot Osmeña said it was not the council’s intention to deprive prosecutors of aid.

She said the council based the 2012 budget on appropriations in the 2010 annual budget with a 10 percent increase.

However, there was no outlay for prosecutors in the 2010 annual budget because the aid came in supplemental budget.

A supplemental outlay may cover the request of city prosecutors for a P3.5-million additional funding.

“But their request for an increase in their financial assistance is another story. That will need the approval of the mayor and a certification on the availability of funds for the purpose before the council could act on the increase,” said Osmeña, who heads the council’s budget committee.