Two annual investment plans set for Cebu City?

About two copies of the proposed annual investment plan for Cebu City were released by the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) last week.

The first API copy amounting to P885 million was presented to the Cebu City Development Council (CCDC) in their October 15 meeting.

The second worth P12.2 billion was submitted to the City Council last Oct. 24 and referred to the budget committee for review.

The first AIP was deferred by the CCDC after some members sought copies of the plan.

Alipio Bacalso Jr., head of the CPDO and the Local Finance Committee (LFC), said the document presented during the CCDC meeting was the “real” AIP.

He said he could not remember sending a copy of the P12.2 billion AIP to the City Council secretariat.

“We submitted the CCDC copy to the council for approval,” Bacalso told Cebu Daily News.

However, both documents were signed by Bacalso. Bacalso signed the P885 million AIP presented to the CCDC on Oct. 15 in his capacity as CPDO chief.

Other signatories of the 12-page document were Mayor Michael Rama and City Budget Officer Nelfa Briones.

Rama could not be reached for comment on the matter yesterday.

A copy of the P12.2 billion AIP also endorsed to the City Council secretariat on Oct. 16 was based on an endorsement letter which Bacalso signed in his capacity as LFC chairman.

Bacalso said he will have to check on where the second AIP copy came from and why it reached the SP Secretariat.

As a general rule, Bacalso said next year’s AIP has to be approved by the CCDC before it is sent to the council for approval.

The 2013 AIP now pending before the CCDC is broken down into social development projects at P194.3 million, economic development projects at P593.6 million and environment management/economic projects at P97.3 million.

The P12.2 billion AIP is broken down into the general fund at P10.2 billion and Special Accounts at P2 billion.

It includes appropriations that also appear on the 2013 annual budget being proposed by Mayor Rama.

They also include the scholarship program at P300 million, City Hall water expenses at P187.7 million, gas and lubricants at P177 million, city sponsored activities at P50 million and city zoo improvements at P30 million.

Also included were burial assistance at P20 million and consultancy services pegged at P8.1 million.