Rama: Politics may hurt projects in 2012 budget

MAYOR Michael Rama said he is worried that some items proposed in his 2012 executive budget may be sacrificed because of his strained political ties with members of the Cebu City Council.

Rama said he already identified at least 59 concerns, which include road improvements, purchase of new vehicles for barangay captains, improvement of health centers and purchase of new garbage trucks for funding next year.

“I told them the situation now is no longer the same as before, so we have to be prepared,” Rama told his staff in a breakfast meeting that he called at the Rama compound residence to discuss the 2012 budget.

Councilor Margot Osmeña, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on budget, said the mayor’s proposed budget should remain “within the city’s means” to get council support.

“The first thing that you look at is your source of funds,” she said.

Rama and Osmeña were among the guests in yesterday’s 3rd quarter assembly of the Association of Barangay Councils held in a Lapu Lapu City beach resort.

The mayor arrived at noon, went around to greet barangay captains but avoided the table where Councilor Osmeña sat with other members of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.

After lunchtime, the mayor went to a function room to address the assembly.

Osmeña and other BO-PK councilors, Augustus Pe Jr., Ritchie Osmeña, Nida Cabrera, Rodrigo Abellanosa, Alvin Dizon and Noel Wenceslao stayed behind.

They walked into the function room while Rama was about to end his message and interaction with barangay captains.

“Karon trabaho, trabaho, trabaho. Minusan nato ang politika. Ug ma molitika walay trabaho nga ma buhat,” Rama told barangay captains.

Rama said he would soon submit the budget for review by the council.

Priority projects include road concreting and and asphalting, and giving each of the city’s 80 barangays a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle, improved health centers, and buy additional garbage equipment.

Rama said he wanted brand new trucks for the city and not the reconditioned ones, which easily malfunction.

On the mayor’s promise made during his state of the city address to give a P5,000 monthly and P3,000 monthly for barangay captains and barangay councilors, Rama assured that the allowance would be released soon.

Tejero barangay captain Jesselou Cadunog asked Osmena about the mayor’s promise to give brand new vehicles next year.

“Basin unya ug ang kang Mike pasingit lang sa mga barangay captain. Kahibaw na ko daan nga puro damgo ra ni kang Mike,” he said.

Osmena said the city’s purchase is always dependent on the availability of funds.

She said the council approved the P28 million appropriation in Supplemental Budget 2 which wascarried additional allowances for barangay officials.

The computation of the allowances would retroact to start from January to December 2011.

She said it would now be up to mayor Rama to facilitate its release.

However, Rama’s promise for new vehicles was another thing.

“Tan awon usa nato ug naay kwarta,” Osmena told barangay captains.

Osmena assured barangay captains that the city council does not obstruct projects and programs which mayor Rama wanted to implement provided they are needed and have funds available.

“Ngano man nga mo babag man ta when we will also have to answer to you? “ she said.

She mentioned the threat of garnishment for the Rallos case which may cause the city to lose P133 million and the unpaid BIR tax claims also amounting to hundreds of millions in pesos.