THE Talisay City Council is set to approve the 2016 annual budget, but with major cuts.
Instead of the P823 million proposed by Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes, the budget this year will amount to only P638 million.
In the revised 2016 annual budget proposal, a total of P185 million was slashed from the original budget.
Councilor Edward Alesna, who heads the committee on appropriation, budget management and ways and means, cannot be reached for comment yesterday.
Delos Reyes, in a phone interview, told CDN that he was not surprised by the cuts. Deliberation on the budget had gone on for almost five months since it was submitted for review in October last year.
He said that once the council would approve it and submit it to his office, he will not sign it.
“Mag-reenacted budget na lang ang Talisay. Usa ka calamity ang naabot sa Talisay tungod sa ilahang gibuhat sa budget. Murag bagyo (Talisay City will have a reenacted budget. A calamity has come to Talisay because of what they did to the budget. It’s like a typhoon),” he said.
“Wa silay igong katarungan nga gihatag. Pamolitika lang gyud ning ilaha (They did not give an enough reason. This is politicking),” he added.
Among the major items reduced under the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) are confidential expenses under the Office of the Mayor (from P10 million to P50,000), maintenance and operating expenses under the different departments (from P51.43 million to zero), budget appropriation for Traffic Operations and Development Authority (from P6.9 million to P3.45 million), honorarium under all departments (P21.9 million to zero), development planning (from P2.5 million to zero), garbage collection (from P10 million to P1.6 million), and the slaughterhouse (from P6.7 million to P2.79 million).
Under the property plan and equipment, items under public infrastructure specifically other public infrastructure for aid to different barangays supportive to the annual component of city or barangay development plan was reduced from P10 million to P50,000.
Under non-office expenditures, items under different aids for historical and cultural activities (from P4 million to zero), Mananga Task Force (from P4.5 million to P50,000), revenue and generation collection enforcement (from P4.5 million to zero), peace and order (from P11 million to P3.5 million), stray dog prevention (from P800,000 to zero), Housing Board maintenance (from P800,000 to zero), clean and green (from P3.5 million to zero), youth sports and development (from P2 million to zero), and Talisay City Sports Commission (from P4.5 million to zero).
The budget for the Tourism department and Public Employment Service Office were also removed (from P3.5 million and P600,000, respectively, to zero).
Other items that were cut were: anti-drug campaign (from P1.5 million to zero), tax collection enforcement/ messengerial services (from P4 million to P1 million), civil service month celebration (from P900,000 to zero), senior citizens (from P1 million to P500,000), financial assistance to Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) Talisay (from P500,000 to zero), Talisay metro aide (from P2.5 million to P1.2 million), honorarium for different committees and teachers (from P4.5 million to P1.5 million), Charter Day celebration (from P500,000 to zero), security services (from P17.5 million to zero), janitorial services (from P1.5 million to P600,000), Talisay city Youth Development Commission (from P1.5 million to zero), Youth Performing Arts Commission (from P1.5 million to zero), urban poor (from P300,000 to P50,000) and financial aid to barangays (from P10 million to P50,000).
Last week, Delos Reyes requested for a special session with the city council to discuss the passage of the budget.
Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante said it was only him and Councilors Valerio Ylanan and Dennis Basillote who attended the special session since some of the councilors were on leave for the Holy Week.