Road and drainage maintenance projects in Cebu City will have to wait for next year’s annual budget.
The City Council yesterday approved only P473 million or less than half of the proposed P1.147 billion Supplementary Budget No. 2 proposed by the mayor’s office.
The council said the mayor failed to identify the fund source for P674-million worth of items.
“It’s a setback but they promised that it’s only a delay,” said a disappointed Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete.
He said he respects the council’s decision but hoped that the other affected projects be covered in the next annual budget.
What was left out: P200 million for drainage projects and about P15 million for repair of potholes in interior barangays and other road maintenance.
“With the rainy season here, we thought we could prioritize the repair of the drainage system but there’s nothing else we can do,” Poblete said.
The city government’s asphalt supply is almost used up, said Poblete based on feedback from the City General Services Office.
“We can only prepare plans and program of works and estimates.”
But Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmeña said even if the mayor got the whole supplemental budget, the projects would take time to implement since bidding had to be conducted and it’s already near the last quarter.
The council approved P175.6 million for the mayor’s office, the biggest outlay.
Of this amount, P85 million will go to the Senior Citizen’s Program.
The city’s scholarship program and livelihood assistance program is allocated P10 million each.
The purchase of a property in barangay Ermita for a school site was appropriated P14 million.
The city allocated P29 million to pay TOA Corp. for their work on the Mambaling access road leading to the South Road Properties (SRP).
The council was reluctant to pay the amount since the road is defective and needs to be redone due to its weak foundation.
The city likewise allocated P49.3 million as subsidy to the city hospitals.
Supplemental Budget No. 2 covered salaries and honoraria of City Hall and job-order employees with the General Services Office given P97.4 million.
Gasoline expenses were alloted P30 million and P67 million for power bills.
A P51.5-million outlay for barangays was carried ion with P6.8 million for the City Council.
The Department of Engineering and Public Works was allotted P22.6 million, mainly for e repairs and construction of bridges and river crossings at P15 million.
Sources for the SB1 Special accounts include the general fund, retained operating surplus in 2010, and budget realignment from last year’s appropriations.