Council questions human resource, general services budgets

CEBU City Hall’s Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) asked for a P16 million budget for local and foreign travels and trainings for next year.

But councilors belonging to the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) bloc questioned the amount, saying the city should minimize spending for travels in order to save funds.

HRDO proposed P5 million for local travel expenses, P1 million for foreign travel expenses and P10 million for trainings for next year.

But Councilor Margarita Osmeña, who heads the committee on budget and finance, said the proposed budget for travel and training expenses from all departments of City Hall for next year is P26 million.

HRDO head Mary Ann Suson, who just assumed the post this year, said they’ve been receiving requests and invitations from international groups for seminars and trainings.

But Osmeña advised that HRDO decline travel invitations unless these are fully shouldered by the organizers to save on funds.

Councilor Osmeña also questioned the increase in budget proposals by the General Services Office from P90 million this year to P120 million next year when they had savings.