Happy New Year to all!
It will be a year to renew our relation-
ship with God and with one other. I know many are composing New Year resolutions but I bet that many of them are repeat wishes from past efforts. We still hope to be able to fulfill them. I pray that everyone will have a God-filled new year that is a better one for all.
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Now that 2015 has ended, it’s worth noting that the Cebu City Council has failed to take up the mayor’s proposed Supplemental Budget No. 1 that would have allowed the city to pre-pay its Japanese loan for the South Road Properties (SRP). Nearly all government agencies involved in the loan like the Bangko Sentral, the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Department of Finance have already given a favorable endorsement of the prepayment. All except the City Council which sat on SB 1.
The reason for the deliberate inaction by members of the council’s majority bloc Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) was the court case filed questioning the validity of the sale of SRP lots through public bidding. That civil case has been dismissed by the court, which said there was no conflict between the council’s resolution and a city ordinance on the handling of SRP lots. And a motion for reconsideration was recently dismissed by the Regional Trial Court.
Still, I think the BO-PK councilors will never surrender. Minority bloc members tried to hold a special session in the last days of year 2015, but but there was no quorum. The BO-PK members, who compose the majority, were absent.
The council didn’t find it urgent enough to take up SB 1 that would have paid the city’s outstanding loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), a loan which Cebu city resident are paying up to now. The prepayment would have saved the city P500 million in principal and loan interest.
It’s unfortunate but this is happening.
Then the proposed trimmed-down budget of the mayor for 2016 was further slashed by City Council, leaving the city government less money to implement projects that would benefit the people.
It’s less because the majority bloc in the council opposed the mayor’s use of proceeds from SRP sales. Take note that this proposed budget is for Cebu City and its residents. Nothing will go to the mayor’s pocket. The mayor, who is serving a 60-day preventive suspension, is not facing a case that involves graft and corruption.
SB 1 was intended to pay off the SRP loan, which Cebuanos are still paying for today. Cebu City would have been debt-free. But the City Council would rather have the people continue to pay the loan amortization.
After the court dismissed the motion for reconsideration of the civil case questioning the SRP sale, I anticipate the City Council will appeal the decision to a higher court, prolonging the delay.
There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel for the supplemental budget. I think the best option of the people now is to hold accountable the councilors for the issue.
The mayor has done everything within his means to have SB 1 approved by the Council. The final judge of this controversy is the people during the May elections.
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