Rather than spend for additional trucks, the Cebu City government is relying on private haulers to collect the garbage for disposal outside of Cebu City.
Bulk of supplemental budget to go to garbage disposal; another P28M for hauling
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña submitted a P697.8-million supplemental budget request to the City Council, which deliberated on it during yesterday’s regular session.
The biggest appropriation at P210.5 million will be spent for the city’s garbage collection and disposal program for the rest of the year.
In his letter, the mayor said the budget is covered by funds “as certified by the City Treasurer and City Accountant.”
An ad hoc committee headed by Councilor Hanz Abella will review the mayor’s supplemental budget request starting today.
The SB1 was divided into four categories: social services (P311.2 million), general public services (P170.1 million), economic services (P140.5 million) and other services (P75.9 million).
The P210.5-million proposal for garbage collection and disposal budget is part of the social services sector.
This amount includes miscellaneous services for garbage collection and disposal (P151.2 million), rental of heavy and other equipment (P56.3 million) and for personnel services of the Department of Public Services (P3 million).
Other major proposals under the social services sector is for the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) pegged at P71 million and for the field program of the City Health Department (P7.2 million).
The DSWS budget includes a P55-million allocation for the city’s medical assistance program and a P14-million proposal for drugs and medicines for the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ) and the Long Life Program.
Identified fund sources for the proposed SB1 include realignment from continuing appropriations, reversion of various payables and retained operating surplus from 2016.
Aside from the supplemental budget, the DPS is also asking for another P28.9-million budget for the hauling services of the city’s garbage that would cover the period from July 16 to Aug. 15.
In a proposed resolution sponsored by Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr., the DPS wanted to charge the amount to the city’s Pagcor funds, and this was already approved by Mayor Osmeña.
But the council deferred the approval of the resolution over questions raised on the use of the Pagcor funds.
Councilor Jose Daluz III said under Section 2 of the revised guidelines on the use of Pagcor funds released last April, charges under this account should be made through a city ordinance.
Daluz said the city government has been using resolutions only to charge items under the Pagcor funds. The council later referred the matter to the Pagcor for resolution.
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