Council slams Rama’s P20-M intel fund

AT least P203-million  assistance fund to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is being proposed in Mayor Michael Rama’s 2012 budget.

The mayor is also asking about P20 million in intelligence funds, which is more than triple last year’s P6-million appropriation.

But what will the city need the allocation for?

“This is such a huge amount,” said Councilor Margot Osmeña, the council’s budget committee chairperson.

Osmeña said taking care of the police is supposed to be a responsibility of a national government.

“So we are taking care of everything for CCPO except their salaries?”

“As a premier city, we are extending assistance to the police because it is difficult to be asking from the national government.  That takes time,” said Philip Zafra, Rama’s chief of staff.

Zafra appeared before the council in yesterday’s budget hearing to discuss expenditures proposed in the 2012 executive budget.

Others who appeared in the budget hearing included city administrator Jose Marie Poblete who explained to the council the about P2.2-billion budget proposed under the office of the mayor, City Health Officer Stella Ygonia, City Civil Registrar Head Evangeline Abatayo and Civil Service Unit (CSU) head Ramon Ortiz.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao asked Poblete about the P75-million Personal Services (PS) appropriation under the office of the mayor, which is P11 million more than the 2011 appropriation.

Poblete said  the increase in appropriation would be spent on the third tranche of salary increases for government employees, which is mandated by the national government. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac