Cebu City Council stops marathon budget hearings for lack of time

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama talks with Cebu City hall employees.  | Photo courtesy of Ruel Rosello/Cebu City Public Information Office

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Citing a lack of time, the Cebu City Council decided on Monday to stop its marathon budget hearings for the proposed P50 billion annual budget for 2023.

Cebu City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, head of the council’s Committee on Budget and Finance, confirmed this in an interview on Tuesday, December 20.

The city has to approve a new annual budget for next year on or before December 30, otherwise, it will have to work on a reinstated budget of only about P9 billion.

Wenceslao said five offices, including the City Treasurer’s Office, City Assessor’s Office, Sangguniang Panlungsod Office, Vice Mayor’s Office, and the City Public Library, were unable to defend their proposed budget before the council.

“Terminate na ta kay mga five offices na lang ang wala maka deliberate unya di na man maapas nato. Dili man to dagko, gagmay man to ang ilang requested proposal,” he said.

“So, ato nalang gi-terminate kay kung ato pang dugayon, we have no more time unya-naa pay revision nga we have to meet kung unsaon namo pagkuan ato, plus budget pa maghimo pa tag report. Unya pila na lang ka days, we do not have the luxury of time,” he added.

With the termination of the budget hearing, the council will now have to approve the committee report, which will serve as its second reading, before the final deliberation.

“Karong Wednesday, December 21, that would be the last regular session man so ato ng ipasud sa ang report nato to be approved by the council. After that, mag special session na lang ta for the approval sa budget,” he said.        /rcg

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