Osmeña: Mayor’s P13 billion budget just a ‘wishlist’

THE P13-billion budget proposed by the Rama administration for Cebu City next year is just “a wish list” with no clear revenue behind it, said his opponent Rep. Tomas Osmeña of the south district.

Osmeña said he expects the mayor to use the budget, and its eventual disapproval or reduction, as a propaganda tool against the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).

“(Mayor Michael) Rama went around asking the people what they want, integrated it in his proposed budget, and when it is disapproved by the City Council, he would go back to the people, telling them BO-PK does not want to give you what you want,” Osmeña told Cebu Daily News.

This year’s current P5.2 billion budget is the biggest in Cebu City’s history.

Osmeña said the Rama administration is having a hard time even meeting revenue targets this year and still asked for two supplemental budgets.

Osmeña, who’s running anew for Cebu City mayor, said budgeting is not about making a wish list but involves planning projects based on projected revenues of a local government unit (LGU).

“You look at the revenues and ask how big is the pizza.” Osmeña said.

The former mayor said public consultations were used as a venue for Rama to grandstand.

“He asked the people, what they want and said yes to them. But he doesn’t even have the ability to raise revenues,” Osmeña said.

In 2011, Rama proposed a budget of P11.8 billion which was slashed by the City Council to P5.2 billion.

Last August, the City Council disapproved Rama’s proposed supplemental budget 2 worth P237.4 million.

The SB 2 would have gone to funding additional senior citizens aid worth P108.7 million; Cebu Integrated Traffic Operation Management geodetic improvements at P27 million, fuel allocation at P20 million and garbage collection at P17 million among others.

The first supplemental budget for 2012 worth P85.8 million was approved immediately last February.

The supplemental budget was used mostly to give City Hall employees the anniversary bonus for the city’s 75th Charter Day.

If Mayor Rama blames the BO-PK dominated city council again for not approving the budge for 2013t, Osmeña said he and the BO-PK would explain their side to the public.

Osmeña was Cebu City mayor from 1988 to P1995 and from 2001 to 2010.

If he wins again as mayor, Osmeña said he will spend based on how much the city can raise and look for external fund sources for projects, “at no cost to the people of Cebu City.”

He cited the P400 million outlay for road projects in Cebu City he secured from the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The opposition of Rama to the projects, including a flyover, drove Osmeña to ask the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to realign the budget to fund instead road expansion projects in Cebu’s 1st district of Rep. Eduardo Gullas.

Osmeña in earlier interviews said he would raise more projects from national funds and other sources should he regain the mayor’s seat. “I know how and where to get those funds,” he was quoted as saying.Associate Editor BenCyrus G. Ellorin