Rama now wants 3rd supplemental budget

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he will ask the City Council for a third supplemental budget to fund other city obligations before the year ends.

There’s enough time to do approve one, he said, but couldn’t specify what items to carry in the new tranche.

“First we have to look into the whole budget and see where will it lead us, what measures are needed to cushion the effects of the cut imposed by the city council on the second supplemental budget,” he said.

The original request of P267.7 million bwas reduced to P243.6 million when the City Council approved supplmental budget 2 after “adjustments” in some allocations.

Councilor Margot Osmeña, who chairs the budget committee, said these shouldn’t be seen as a “cut” or a “slash” of the mayor’s budget request.

She said these were “adjustments” made to meet the actual expenditure.

For example, a P17 million request for garbage tipping fees was “adjusted” after a review of the documents showed that only P14 million was needed.

Rama said the P24.1 million cut in the second supplemental budget “will always have an impact on the city.”

He denied allegations that the city’s affairs were mismanaged.

The mayor said a temporary fuel shortage would have been avoided if the City Council had approved the P11.8 billion budget proposal for 2012.