CEBU CITY, Philippines — The second week of November 2020 is ending, but the budget hearing for the 2021 annual budget has yet to start.
Despite this, Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, majority floor leader of the City Council, assured the public that the P10.8 billion annual budget for 2021 will be passed on time.
Garcia said that the delay is caused by the desire of the Council to scrutinize the P2.9 billion funds allotted for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Read: Cebu City to conduct budget hearing with full council
The council is set to hear the local finance committee on November 20, 2020, after they failed to present on November 11, 2020, due to lack of time during the regular session.
“We have enough time to pass the budget. I am not worried,” said the Garcia.
The councilor notes that in 2019, the budget was also passed on December, but the hearing began two months prior.
Read: 2021 Cebu City budget needs to source funds from SRP — Garcia
Still, he said the council would use the time wisely to scrutinize the proposed 2021 budget of Mayor Edgardo Labella and maximize the limited time.
The P10.8 billion budget will include the P1 billion allocation for health and COVID-19 response. /dbs