River rehab, cash aid in city budget

REPLACING antiquated drainage systems, river rehabilitation and construction of a water impounding facility will take a large chunk of the P3.3 billion allocated to fund phase one of Cebu City’s drainage master plan.

Details of the plan were revealed in Mayor Michael Rama’s budget message that was submitted to the City Council last Friday. The mayor sought a P10.5 billion budget for the city next year.

While he sought to raise the budget for seniors cash aid to P720 million and the city’s scholarship budget to P371 million next year, Rama only proposed a P172.4 million budget for the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). The city hospital was closed down after it was severely damaged by the Oct. 15 earthquake.

Rama increased the seniors cash aid budget to deliver his campaign promise to raise the dole from P10,000 to P12,000.

The Local Government Code sets every October 16 of the year as the deadline for submission of proposed budget for the succeeding year.

“We will just see. The first thing that we look at is the sources of funds. But let’s just cross the bridge when we get there,” Councilor Margot Osmeña, the budget committee chairperson said.

The identified sources of funds are capital/investment receipts at P6 billion; tax revenues at P2.4 billion; city’s share of the Internal Revenue Allotment at P1.2 billion; non-tax revenues at P700 million and share from eco-zones at P200 million.

The Department of Public Services (DPS) wants their appropriation increased from P126.8 million this year to P193 million next year.

The bulk of that amount worth P102 million, will pay the tipping fees for the disposal of the city’s waste in a private landfill facility in Consolacion town. Cebu City produces about 500 tons of garbage daily.

Rama’s 2014 budget also includes a P397.8 million repayment for the loan the city contracted for the South Reclamation Project. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac