CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday met with members of the Local Finance Committee to assess how the P24 million adjustment in the second tranche of the supplemental budget (SB2) will affect the city’s operation.
Rama also asked the committee to prepare for a supplemental budget 3 (SB3) for approval by the City Council to fund the proposed P15,000 bonus of each city employee.
Asked if city officials would also get bonuses, he said “I have not discussed that. I’m not interested to help myself first, I am more interested to help our employees.”
The City Council on Nov. 14 approved a resolution sponsored by Councilor Leah Japson asking the mayor to release a P15,000 bonus for each of the city’s close to 5,000 regular and casual employees
Japson said elected officials would not be included.
Rama said the City Council resolution was like “manna from heaven” because he only thought of giving a P10,000 bonus.
With the City Council’s endorsement, Rama said he already asked the LFC to identify a funding source.
He said that if more funding is made available, elected city officials may also enjoy bonuses like they used to in previous years.
“I will be calling another meeting with LFC members to see if there is enough savings,” he said.
Rama said the proposed SB3 may include the funding for other important needs of the city.
During the LFC meeting, the mayor was briefed on how the P24 million adjustment in the SB2 would affect city government operations.
With the cut in the mayor’s gasoline request from P30 million to P15 million, austerity measures like reduction of gas allocations for city and barangay vehicles by half will go on. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac