CEBU CITY (Feb. 28, 2024) – The Executive has earmarked close to ₱1 billion worth of expenditures for the City Council to consider under the First Supplemental Budget of 2024, or SB1.
| 📷 PPRMN/cte
“These are urgent in character,” said acting city budget officer Jerone G. Castillo, quoting a portion of the transmittal that Mayor Mike Rama signed.
The Council secretariat received the documents at 4:45 PM yesterday, Feb. 27, 2024, he told Sugboanon Channel during its Pagtuki, Pagsusi, Pagsuta (Check, Verify, Validate) program today.
This after Cebu City Development Council (CCDC) approved also on Tuesday the proposed sources to fund the programs under Supplementary Annual Investment Plan (AIP) 1, he disclosed.
City administrator Collin N. Rosell presided the full council meeting on behalf of Mayor Rama, he added.
The Mayor earlier bared during his Ingna’ng Mayor segment also over Sugboanon Channel on Tuesday that he had already signed the transmittal document that the Local Finance Committee (LFC) prepared.
Castillo, who is LFC chair, said SB1 includes the following items:
- ₱205 million – Palarong Pambansa
- ₱600 million – Transitional Housing
- ₱120 million – Charter Day Bonus
- ₱ 21 million – Adjustment under City Council
- ₱137 million – Other urgent requirements
Under the doctrine of check and balance, the Sangguniang Panlungsod will examine carefully and deliberate on the proposed SB1, according to Castillo.
“Ila man sad ni’ng tan-awon tanan. They are entitled to examine carefully the proposal,” he said.
But the Executive is prepared to explain fully to the public why the funds are needed, and the urgency of having the supplemental budget, he added.
By the urgency, necessity, the reasonableness, and the sources of funds, “wala man seguro’y rason ngano’ng dili na ihatag,” Castillo noted.
“Basta ang importante lang na-establish gyud nato ang need, na e-establish nato ang source, naa ta’y capability to disburse such a program or project,” he pointed out.
Wala man seguro’y rason ngano’ng dili na ihatag. Basta ang importante lang na-establish gyud nato ang need, na e-establish nato ang source, naa ta’y capability to disburse such a program or project.
Atty. Jerone G. Castillo, LFC chair
Castillo disclosed the LFC had we conferred with three key councilors to discuss about the sourcing of funds and availability of cash to disburse,
They included Councilors Donaldo C. Hontiveros, who was acting Vice Mayor, Noel G. Wenceslao as chair of the budget and finance committee, and Franklyn O. Ong, as president of the Liga ng mga Barangay.
(Read separate story on fund sourcing.)
Palaro
Castillo said the city’s hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa in July needed more funds on top of what has been spent for the rehabilitation of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) and accommodation facilities.
The ongoing ₱200 million CSCC rehabilitation already included the repair and improvement of facilities, such as the oval and swimming pool, as well as the improvement of public school buildings that will be used to accommodate the various regional sports contingents.
SB1 includes the construction of an extension of the CCSC grandstand estimated at ₱47 million, he dissclosed.
It also covers the purchase and installation of LED visual displays with support frames and posts worth ₱135.19 million, he said.
Another is a set of LED outdoor field lights that will illuminate the oval at night, amounting to ₱23 million, he added.
Castillo assured that the request of the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) that sportsman John Pages leads has been reviewed carefully “so that we will make sure dili ma-bloated or overspent.”
With the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), he said “na-review gyud na tanan thoroughly before (this got) submitted to us (in LFC).”
Transitional Housing
The LFC chairman said the P600 million budget for the construction of a transitional complex for socialized housing beneficiaries is only for its phase one that covers 600 housing units.
The complex at the former bagsakan behind the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel at South Road Properties (SRP) is planned for 3,500 housing units, bared CPDO planning and design division head Arch’t. Jhomari Villarojo.
Acting CPDO head Arch’t. Joseph Michael “Yumi” P. Espina also told Cebu City News the whole area covers five hectares with Phase 1 within two hectares in the middle of the complex.
“Mao gyud ni ang gihangyo sa mayor, ang design and build of a transition building,” quipped Castillo.
He recalled what Mayor Rama had wanted after he ascended as chief executive in late 2021, that is to prevent the loss of lives due to flooding, especially in a sudden rush of cascading rainwaters along the rivers.
This compelled the Mayor to issue Executive Order No. 2 on Aug. 19, 2022 that created the Task Force Gubat sa Baha (TF GsB) “that is now a work in progress,” Castillo added.
He said retired AFP chief Gen. Roy A. Cimatu, as chief policy determinant of the task force, had requested to relocate informal settlers before TF GsB will start clearing the 3-meter easement of the city’s eight rivers.
As it would take time and budget to build permanent socialized housing complexes, “tukoran sa nato ang atong transitional housing,” he explained.
Other than DEPW and CPDO, the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) got on board in the planning for the initial 600 transitional units, bared Castillo.
During CPDO’s Panglantaw teleradyo program over Sugboanon Channel Tuesday, Villarojo disclosed phase one will include six four-story easy-to-assemble buildings, plus a multi-purpose complex and an admin and utilities building.
Bonus
The acting city budget officer said the P120 million service incentive bonus will cover casual and regular employees. It can include job order workers, but he qualified it will still require the passage of an ordinance.
Meanwhile, the rest of SB1 covers the salary adjustment for certain Sangguniang Panlungsod employees and other urgent needs of the city. | PPRMN/cte
Cebu City • News & Information 