Cebu City Hall staffers assured to get cash gift

CEBU City Hall’s 5,000 employees and officials will each be given their cash gift next month.

But as to how much they will receive depends on how much money the City Budget Office can allocate for this purpose, the City Council’s budget committee said in yesterday’s budget hearing.

The city government gave a P12,000 cash gift last year. “I know there is now a mounting clamor. We already told the budget office to look for funding sources,” City Administrator Jose Maria Poblete told the council.

Councilor Margot Osmeña was pessimistic, saying the city’s coffers were already scrapped by the passage of the P109 million supplemental budget II.

She said the city has to settle P962.6 million worth of obligations before the year ends which consist of employees salaries and other claims worth P233.5 million and maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) worth P729.1 million.

This will be paid from the city’s receivables of P988 million to be sourced from the city’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) collectibles worth P183 million and the Filinvest Land Inc joint venture share worth P400 million.

The executive department is also counting on the sales of block 27 and the city lot beside Waterfront Hotel in Lahug worth P255 million, real property collections worth P100 million and business tax collections projected at P50 million.

“That is our financial status. If we have the money, then why not (give out extra cash gifts)? I hope the City Treasurer’s Office can collect some more so we can receive our cash gifts,” Osmeña told Poblete during yesterday’s budget hearing. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac