Budget body readies review on 2013 budget

The Cebu City Council’s budget committee began its review of the proposed 2013 budget amounting to P6.7 billion along with a proposed supplemental budget.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, acting budget committee chairman, said they decided to tackle the two proposals at the same time to prevent a re-enactment of the P5.4 billion 2012 budget next year.

Wenceslao said they may decide on the fate of the P267 million supplemental budget submitted by Mayor Michael Rama on Wednesday.

The budget committee chaired by Councilor Margot Osmeña is expected to render a report on their review of additional documents submitted by the executive department during their Nov. 14 session.

Wenceslao said they may decide whether or not to approve SB2 at that time.  Councilor Osmeña is still in the US with her husband, Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said the council wants to see for themselves whether the 2013 budget has enough funding sources.

“We can only approve what the city can earn. Ug unsay makita nila nga kwarta mao ra na ang atong aprobahan,” he said.

Young is worried whether the city will be able to meet Rama’s P6.7 billion budget proposal. This year alone, the city treasurer’s office has only raised about P4 billion to fund its P5.4 billion budget leaving a deficit of about P1.4 billion.

But Rama scored the vice mayor for pre-judging the proposed budget.

“Wala pa gani sila’y budget hearing, ila na minusan ang budget. Klaro kaayo nga gusto lang gyud ta lisud lisuron sa konseho,” (They have not even done any hearing on the proposed budget, they are already talking of reducing it. It just goes to show that their intention is just to make our work difficult),” Rama said.

Rama said the council should not concern themselves about revenue generation because the year is not yet over He said the city government has enough time to further increase its collection.

The City Council, he said, should focus on coming up with useful legislation.

“That is an incompetent council. Mismanaged. Daghan pa kaayo na sila nga pending nga committee reports” (There are still many pending committee reports.),” Rama said. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters