‘We’ll defend proposed budget on Nov. 4 hearing’

DISCUSSIONS on the proposed 2012 budget can wait until the Nov. 4 budget hearing.

This was Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s answer to questions about his decision not to send department heads to attend last Thursday’s preliminary meeting called by the council’s budget committee.

“All the questions that they will ask during the pre-budget hearing, they can ask during the regular budget hearing,” said Rama.

The mayor assured he and his department heads were prepared to defend the P11.8-billion budget proposal in the City Council.

He said he had no objections to the council’s plan to hold the proceedings in public with media coverage, something the City Council wasn’t inclined to do during his term as vice mayor.

“That’s their prerogative. I have no problem with that,” said Rama who celebrated his 57th birthday yesterday.

Rama confirmed that he had asked department heads to skip the invitation to the pre-budget hearing called by Councilor Margot Osmeña, head of the budget committee, because discussions there would only be a duplication of the regular budget hearing to start on Nov. 4.

Margot, wife of Rama’s predecessor, had invited eight department heads including City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo and Budget Officer Nelfa Briones to ask about funding sources of the mayor’s 2012 budget.

The council wanted to know if the city government was capable of raising P11.8 billion next year especially after Camarillo admitted during an Oct. 19 appearance with the council that the city was expected to fall short of at least P800 million in revenues for its P4.5-billion budget requirement this year.

Councilor Edgar Labella said the city council may disapprove the mayor’s budget and reenact the 2011 budget next year if department heads would continue to snub their budget hearings.

“If the budget hearing is official, then we will all be there,” said Mayor Rama.

“All their questions can be addressed in the regular budget hearing… We are prepared. They just have to say when and we will be there,” said Rama.

The mayor submitted his draft 2012 budget on Oct. 14, two days before the Oct. 16 deadline.

Rama said that since he was vice mayor for nine years, he is aware of the city council’s role of reviewing the executive budget.

He said it was also the responsibility of the City Council to pass a 2012 budget before the Dec. 31 deadline.

Yesterday, well-wishers dropped by the mayor’s office to greet him a happy birthday.

Among them was Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who came from an riport board meeting. She greeted the mayor and exchanged pleasantries with other people at the mayor’s office whom she knew then left.

Also present were Carlos and Mariquita Yeung, who are the main supporters of the Beautiful Cebu program, businessman Michel Lhiullier, City Police Director Ramon Melvin Buenafe and City Fire Marshal Anderson Comar.

Of the city officials, only councilors Jose Daluz III, Edgar Labella, Roberto Cabarrubias, Rodrgio Abellanosa and SK president John Philip Po came to the mayor’s office.

The others said that they had other commitments to attend to. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac