Lack of manpower, funds surface in budget hearing

CITY Hall’s Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) blamed the lack of manpower for the delays in the implementation of its projects.
In Friday’s continuation of the series of budget hearings for Cebu City’s proposed P6.3 billion annual budget next year, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Arcilla lamented the backlog of projects under the DEPW this year.

Records showed that around P153 million worth of engineering maintenance projects for roads, drainage, and other infrastructure had not been implemented by DEPW.

“From January to October, none of these projects have been bidded out. So my follow up question is what happened to these projects that already have funds for the years 2014, 2015, and 2016? Are they all implemented or not implemented?” Arcilla asked.

DEPW head Engr. Josefa Ylanan explained that while the projects were funded, some had not been implemented as the projects were ordered recalled and reviewed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he assumed as mayor last year.

Other projects were also still in the pipeline, she added.

“What is the problem? Because we want to help. We want to see where is it? Where is the clogging coming from?” asked Councilor Margarita Osmeña, head of the committee on budget and finance of the Cebu City Council.

Ylanan said that the delays were mainly due to DEPW’s lack of manpower after several engineers were removed from office by Osmeña when he assumed his post.

For a time, DEPW only had five engineers working last year, Ylanan said.

It was only in August last year when their request for additional engineers was granted by Osmeña; however, the number was still not enough to cover the amount of work needed, Ylanan said.

Aside from being the head of the DEPW, Ylanan also heads the Office of the Building Official (OBO).

Councilor Osmeña asked if this could also be a reason for the delay in the projects’ implementation and if Ylanan would prefer to hold only just one position.

Ylanan said she would not refuse any position given to her by the mayor.

CHAMP AND LONG LIFE

Meanwhile, despite plans to expand their coverage to accommodate more beneficiaries next year, two of Cebu City’s flagship medical programs were advised to take things slow.

During budget hearings yesterday, Councilor Osmeña said that while the plan to expand the city’s Long Life Program was good, it may not be feasible for now considering the city’s budget constraints.

Program head Peter Visitacion said that from the 30,000 to 40,000 beneficiaries, they planned to cover 50,000 in 2018 as every time they visited current beneficiaries, some other residents in the barangays, would also seek their assistance.

The Long Life Program, a brainchild of Mayor Osmeña, involves the distribution of maintenance medicines for illnesses like hypertension and diabetes by City Hall personnel tasked to personally visit ailing residents in their homes.

When the program started last year, Visitacion said they only had 30,000 beneficiaries. But as of September this year, the program already had 47,000 beneficiaries. The number is expected to increase even more in 2018.

“You’re doing a good job. But your rate of expansion is so fast that the budget cannot keep up. That’s what I’m worried about,” said Osmeña, referring to the program’s P24 million proposed 2018 budget which is the same as its 2017 budget.

Councilor Osmeña said new beneficiaries should instead be advised that the budget is only good for a certain number of beneficiaries and they can only be accommodated more once the program gets to have additional funds.

Meanwhile, the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (CHAMP) which proposes the same P173 million budget for next year aired concern over the need for the city to reimburse some of the program’s beneficiaries.

CHAMP head Amor Grengia, said that the city still had to reimburse around P13 million to beneficiaries once the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) releases its share of PCSO funds by the first week of November. /with Alven Marie A. Timtim – Silliman University Intern