THE Cebu City Council approved on Tuesday Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s P8.1 billion proposed budget for 2019 despite criticisms from Councilor Joel Garganera.
Of the amount, at least P7 billion will be allotted for the general fund proper while more than P1 billion will be used to fund the operations of the Cebu City government.
The amount is P1.9 billion higher than the P6.2 billion budget for 2018.
The bulk of the funds will come from local taxes amounting to P2.5 billion and the city’s share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
Marrieta Gumia, the Cebu City Budget Officer, previously said that the increase in the proposed budget of Mayor Osmeña is due to the special projects proposed by the mayor.
These included free bus rides for college students living in the city’s mountain barangays pegged at P232 million, the purchase of new garbage trucks estimated to cost P232.5 million, and financial assistance to senior citizens (P455.2 million).
Other allocations go to the barangays for the implementation of their projects (P400 million), scholars (P158.3 million), firemen (P65 million), barangay tanods (P78.8 million), peace and order personnel (P65 million), and policemen deployed in the mountain barangays (P2.6 million).
Meanwhile, Garganera criticized the appropriations for solid waste collection and disposal.
“I must admit that I was surprised that the budget for solid waste collection and disposal has reached more than P400 million which is almost three times the amount that the previous administration has allocated,” Garganera pointed out in his privilege speech.
He said that there is no need to purchase new trucks if only the current trucks were properly maintained.
He accused Osmeña of wasting much-needed funds for the new trucks.
Garganera also noted that there were no appropriations for the rehabilitation of rivers and waterways which he said is the reflection of the “true state” of the city.
However, on closer look, at least P17.3M of the 2019 budget is allocated to barangay environment officers who are tasked by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) to implement projects for the protection of the environment including the maintenance of waterways.
“I am not opposing the proposed budget for 2019, but I am raising these concerns that this must be addressed with utmost urgency,” said Garganera.
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