Barili’s LP mayor, One Cebu VM tussle over 2013 proposed budget

IT will be rough sailing for Barili Mayor Teresito Mariñas’ proposed annual budget for 2013 as Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia sees the eventual slashing of some items.

“These are political items that he can use during the campaign. The mayor should expect rough sailing for his proposal,” said Vice Mayor Garcia.

Topping the list of items seen to be reduced is the allocation for intelligence/confidential funds under the Office of the Mayor, wherein Marinas placed P2.3 million for 2013 from the P150,000 approved budget for 2012.

Mayor Mariñas is a member of the Liberal Party while Vice Mayor Garcia is a brother of One Cebu gubernatorial bet and incumbent 3rd district Rep. Pablo John Garcia.

In the proposed budget, the mayor’s office will have additional allocation of over P9 million.  Marinas’ proposed a P24,209,903 budget for 2013. This year, his office has a budget of P15,842,933.

The 2013 budget of the vice mayor’s office was raised slightly  to P13,794,799 compared to this year’s P13,165,690.

Garcia is also questioning the allocation for fuel which was increased to P2.6 million from P!.4 million this year; and motor vehicle maintenance from P500,000 this year to P1.8 million in 2013.

Marinas’ also introduced new items in next year’s budget proposal under “operational services” which were not in the 2012 allocation. Garcia said these will be cut.

These are the  allocations for “tourism program” (P200,000), human resource development (300,000) and environmental management (P500,000).

There is also a proposed P500,000 for  the “clean and green program,” an item which Garcia said is not allowed by the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Mariñas had accused the camp of Garcia, who has the entire municipal council on his side, of reducing basic services by slashing the 2012 budget. /Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent