Crafting a people’s budget

Budgets in Cebu City’s recent history did not reflect the people’s will insofar as they were not consulted in making proposed outlays submitted to the City Council.

We commend the effort of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to invite citizens to a series of consultations starting yesterday until Saturday, Sept. 15 about where their money should go, at least in 2013.

The Local Government Code of 1991 set down the the idea of a “people’s budget” by providing for participation of representatives from various sectors in planning the development of a locale.

The same code mandates that a budget proposal explain the relationship between a “work and financial proposals to approved local development plans,” which ought to be drawn by officials together with the people.

Mayor Rama has taken a step to democratize stewardship of the treasury.

Will residents of Cebu City respond to the invitation of crafting the budget?

How much weight does the invitation have if, as Rama says, it depends on the City Council, whose majority is hostile to the mayor, whether to approve the recommendations?

In many ways, development in Cebu City has been hodge-podge work. Projects for the longest time were subject to the caprice of the one holding the reins in City Hall. .

There’s no guarantee that heritage or beautification would rank high on the list of the new set of officials who get elected in 2013, especially if the winner turns out to be Rep. Tomas Osmeña, who doesn’t worry about urban decay.

Rama has taken pains to be populist in his approach to governance. Osmeña is more hardnosed about steering the sale of South Road Property lots to investors.

With weeks to go before the October deadline of filing of certificates of candidacy, the point at which battle lines are indelibly drawn, it’s not clear how far citizen-friendly consultations will go and whether they will turn out to just be vote-getting exercises.

With feedback from these forums, who’s left to listen and act on them?

In an ideal setup, without the air soiled by political egos and campaign agendas, consulting sectoral representatives, business groups, barangay officials and even sidewalk vendors for Cebu City’s budget would strengthen active citizenship.

These are not ideal times in a divided City Hall.

Mayor Rama knows this, but plods on nevertheless asking plain folk what they think Cebu City should be spending taxpayers money on.