Cebu debt payments short by P100M

A police officer keeps watch at the capitol building of the Cebu provincial government as tension eases over the refusal of suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to leave the governor’s office. JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—The province of Cebu would be unable to pay all its obligations immediately as its general fund is short by at least P100 million, according to the Office of the Provincial Treasurer.

Roy Salubre, Cebu provincial treasurer, told reporters that the provincial government is P100 million short of cash in its general funds “if it were to pay the P200 million payables” for this year.

Salubre added that as of Thursday, the province only has around P90 million in cash left in its general fund.

According to a report from the treasurer’s office, the provincial government has P387,451,403.14 in bank deposits that are not part of the general fund.

Catering

Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale, who presented the document in a press conference on Thursday, said her office received bills of payables that included collections for catering, purchase of tourist buses and cement supplies, among others.

The Laguna Catering and Commissary Center, in its summary of receivables, has billed the province a total of P649,464 for catering services in 2011 and P2,746,620 from Feb. 10 to Dec. 20, 2012.

The Laguna Garden Cafe is trying to collect P177,933 for services rendered June 7, 2010 to Dec. 3, 2012.

The capitol has been providing food through the catering services for functions and meetings at the social hall, including those held at the Cebu International Convention Center

(CICC).

The Perfect Clean General Services, which provides medical, paramedical and other services to the capitol, is trying to collect P13,943,828.45 for services rendered from January to November 2012.

In a letter addressed to Magpale, Perfect Clean general manager Marietta Bucao said the company has not released and will not be able to release the 13th month pay of its employees “unless the overdue accounts are settled.”

Buses, incentives

Aside from the amount the provincial government owed the three companies, it also has other payables, Salubre said during the press conference.

These included P68 million for the purchase of 24 tourist buses; P60 million in incentives for village watchmen, health workers and daycare workers; P6 million for the Sarmiento Construction for the asphalting of Alegria Road; P2.7 million for cement from Holcim and P20 million for school supplies.

Salubre added that the provincial government’s payables are higher since other companies that have work or supply contracts with the capitol have yet to submit their billing.