Mayor seeks allocation for new firefighting equipment

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he hopes that his plans to acquire brand-new equipment for Cebu City Fire Department and to install closed-circuit television (CCTVs)  in the city streets would push through.

Rama instructed the Local Finance Committee (LFC) to draft Supplemental Budget (SB) 2 and prioritize these projects.

“The council said we can pass supplemental appropriations to fund items that were not funded in the annual budget. So we will do that,” said Rama.

Rama said that if funds allow,  he wanted to resubmit  all the items that were deleted from his proposed P11.8-billion executive budget  for  appropriation.

The Council only authorized a P5.2-billion budget this year.

Councilor Jose Daluz III whom Rama asked to help  prepare the  budget  said he has yet to met with City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete and members of the LFC to discuss the matter.

“Before we do anything else, there is a need to identify the fund source first,” said Daluz.

Rama said he wanted the   SB2 to carry outlays for the fire department’s equipment and upgrading of the office, which is worth P50 million.

He said he wants to include another P50 million for  a new terminal and  P75 million for six new master plans.

Poblete said the mayor’s plan to acquire a P50- million barge may also be considered in SB 2 “depending on how much funding is available.”

Poblete said there are several “essential” appropriations in the executive budget, which the council did not approve, that Rama wanted to revive in SB2.

These include appropriations for the honorarium of Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN), which the city government used to secure government offices and structures located outside of city hall.

Rama proposed a P30.1-million security budget this year but the council only approved P10.5 million.

At least P5.4 million of the amount is needed for the honorarium of 150 BINs  at P3,000 per month.

Meanwhile, Rama distributed yesterday morning P10,000 as livelihood assistance to 30 Mahiga Creek residents who were displaced in last year’s demolition of their creekside shanties.

Ester Concha, the newly appointed head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), helped the mayor in the distribution.

“We will also be looking at other areas for the release of livelihood assistance to affected families,” said Rama.

The city government allocated P10 million for livelihood assistance to families affected in the clearing of creekside and riverside shanties.