Cebu City’s 2024 budget slashed from P100 Billion to P20 Billion
JULY 16, 2023: A glimpse at the facade of the Cebu City Hall. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The proposed budget for Cebu City’s operations in 2024, initially set at an ambitious P100 billion, has been slashed to just over P20 billion.
This after the city council approved the amended budget during the council’s regular session on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
The annual budget ordinance was authored by City Councilors Noel Wenceslao and Jocelyn Pesquera.
A portion of the overall budget, amounting to P19.998 billion, will be allocated to the general fund proper. This fund includes personal services; maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE); and capital outlay. Additionally, P2.055 billion will be designated for special accounts.
Previously, Lawyer Jerone Castillo, the city’s acting budget officer, asserted that half of the proposed P100 billion budget was earmarked for the city’s battle against climate change, a problem arising from outdated drainage systems designed in the 1980s.
Focus on essentials
The existing allocation was deemed “inadequate” to combat the increasing challenges posed by climate change.
However, after thorough deliberations, the proposed P100-billion budget faced uncertainty as the council weighed its approval.
In response to this, Cebu City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, the chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, urged the 36 departments and offices at Cebu City Hall to reassess their proposals, focusing on what is deemed “essential.”
He stated that departments should be prepared to adjust their plans based on the council’s decisions, whether approving or reducing the budget.
Meanwhile, The proposed budget for climate change, initially set at P50 billion, was reduced to P800 million, representing approximately a 98.4-percent cut.
/bmjo
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