Metro Briefs: Jan. 28, 2019

Binay orders special sessions for OK of Makati budget

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay has intervened in the standoff between majority and minority councilors that has resulted in the delayed approval of the 2019 city budget.

In a memorandum last week, Binay ordered the 17-member city council to hold special sessions starting at 10 a.m. on Jan. 29 and 31, and Feb. 1, if necessary, to deliberate on the P18.17-billion budget.

She cited Section 52 of the Local Government Code that authorized the local executive to call special sessions of the city council “when public interest so demands.”

On top of the special session, the Makati City Council will hold its regular session on Jan. 30. In the past two years, councilors passed the city budget for the following year either in November or December. —Dexter Cabalza

Business as usual for Manila Zoo workers, management

Operations remain normal at Manila Zoo despite its closure for an indefinite period of time to give way to the installation of sewage facilities.

“The animals will remain indoors. It’s going to be the same routine [and] the keepers will continue with their work,”  Jasyrr Garcia, officer in charge of Manila’s Public Recreations Bureau, said on Sunday.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada had ordered the zoo closed starting Wednesday, two weeks after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources tagged it as one of Manila Bay’s major polluters.

Garcia said the closure had made it easy for engineers and contractors to look for possible sites for sewage plants — a project the city government wanted implemented as soon as possible.

The zoo’s rehabilitation would take around three to four months, she added.

At least six companies have already submitted proposals for the project while the city government is still studying whether to put up septic tanks or sewage treatment plants. —Aie Balagtas See