An ordinance creating a trust fund to ensure that all donations and money to fund the construction of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) was approved by the Cebu City Council in its regular session last Wednesday.
“We’ve heard of donations and pledges from here and abroad bannered in the newspapers. We appropriated P600 million in our budget. Every single centavo for the construction of the new CCMC must be kept and safeguarded with utmost care by putting it in a trust fund exclusive for CCMC,” said Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, author of the ordinance.
He cited as an example the City Treasurer’s Office decision to divert P300 million intended for the first phase of the city hospital in order to fund the release of financial aid to senior citizens last December.
The ordinance authorizes the mayor to accept not just donations and contributions from the public but also grants from private or government institutions for the new CCMC.
These must be tallied weekly with the tally sheets signed by the city treasurer, city accountant and a representative of the council.
Accounted
These tally sheets should also be posted at the main entrance of the executive building and the legislative building.
Appropriations and donations which were received by the mayor before the approval of the ordinance should also be fully accounted for and deposited in the trust fund within 15 days from the approval of the ordinance.
“Receipts out of this trust fund shall be made only for the construction of the new CCMC and for all other compulsory and essential projects connected therewith and should never be diverted or deviated for any other purpose whatsoever without the prior approval from the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Cebu City,” reads section 4 of the ordinance.
It also states that any public officer or employee violating the provisions of the ordinance will be held civilly or administratively liable. Violators can be charged with malversation of public funds under the Revised Penal Code.
Loyal
The council approved the ordinance amid objection from Councilor Noel Wenceslao.
“I objected because the ordinance includes appropriations made by the city into the trust fund. What if there’s still no cash backup yet since it’s just an appropriation? Basin mapugos sila ug butang ug kuwarta (they might be forced to deposit other cash),” he said.
The city appropriated P600 million for the construction of the new hospital building – P300 million from the city’s first supplemental budget last year and another P300 million from the city’s annual budget this year.
But Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was lukewarm about the setup.
He didn’t categorically say that he would veto it outright, though.
He said he would consult first with City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas about the provisions of the ordinance.
“Let’s just wait until I read it. I have to check with the treasurer. They (council) are not the treasurer. And therefore whom will I listen to? To the council that is against me or the treasurer that is loyal to me?” Rama told reporters.