Council questions funds under mayor

The Cebu City Council questions the  appropriations for capital outlay of the different departments and special bodies under the mayor’s office
Councilor Margot Osmeña, chairman of the budget committee, said she is certain this was not practiced before.

She recounted that when she chaired the Commission for the Protection and Welfare of Children her husband, former mayor Tomas Osmeña, didn’t place the commission’s budget under his office.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young is worried that the appropriations for the different departments  may be used for another purpose if placed under the mayor’s office.

In Rama’s proposed budget, about P770 million in appropriation for the commissions and special bodies are placed under his office
The P760,000 appropriation for the purchase of books for the city library was also placed under the mayor’s office.

“Why not put this under the library account? This is one of the reasons why it is tedious to look at this budget,” Osmeña said.

Nelfa Briones, the city budget officer, could not answer Osmeña’s questions.

But she explained that it has been a budgeting practice to place appropriations for capital outlay under the mayor’s office although actual purchases are made by the requesting office.

She said the practice is also in accordance with Commission on Audit (COA) regulations.

“We are now required (by COA) to make proper coding,”  Briones said.

She said  this won’t affect the operation of the different commissions and special bodies.

To make the review of the budget easier, Young ordered Briones to come up with a summary of the different offices’ appropriations even if these have been placed under the Office of the Mayor.

In a separate interview, Rama said he designated City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete to address the council’s queries on his behalf.

He added changes in City Hall policies go with the change of administration.

Meanwhile, Councilor Osmeña yesterday withdrew her Nov. 16 resolution that authorized the use of the P10-million appropriation for the purchase of oil and lubricants.

Osmeña said the Government Services Office (GSO) has to present to the council an inventory report of existing supplies before purchase of additional supplies should be allowed.

“We wanted to check on the inventory first after we received reports that additional purchase was not needed,” she said.

GSO head Rolando Ardosa had asked a P288-million appropriation for next year and P272 million is for diesel and gas purchases.

But the council finds his proposed appropriation too big.