Rama to veto some items in budget

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama will exercise his executive power to veto some of the items in the P5.2 billion approved budget for 2012 because the City Council insisted on not clearly identifying the fund sources for certain expenditures.

As of yesterday afternoon, Rama’s department heads who are all lawyers, like City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete, Assistant City Administrator Dominic Diño and Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor (DWUP) head Collin Rossel were still deliberating as to what items in the budget will be vetoed by the mayor.

Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code empowers the local chief executives to approve or to veto the approved ordinances coming from their respective legislative bodies.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña who chairs the City Council’s committee on budget and finance that reviewed the proposed P11.8 billion executive budget and decided to slash it by half, claimed that the procedure the City Council adopted is much easier to execute.

The usual way of preparing a budget ordinance shows each of the item in the budget with its own account, which Councilor Jose Daluz III said is difficult compared to the new procedures adopted by them.

“Sa una duna’y mga appropriation nga magbalik-balik dinhi sa city council kay nasayop ang account numbers diin didto gi-charge ang budget. Kini karon ang budget anha ra kuhaon direkta sa general fund,” he said.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young supported the claim of Daluz by telling Poblete who appeared before the City Council yesterday “Dili pa mo ana nga sayon na lang kaayo ang paggasto sa budget?”

Poblete just hope that the new procedures in the preparation of the budget will be approved by the reviewing national government agencies.

Assistant City Treasurer Emma Villarete said it might be difficult for the city treasurer because there is an existing procedure set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Commission on Audit.

“Aw huwaton na lang g’yud nato kon unsay stand sa DBM niining bag-ong procedure sa City Council sa annual budget,” said City Accountant Marietta Gumia.

Even if the local chief executive vetoes the budget ordinance, the City Council still has the power to overrule the veto by at least 2/3 votes of the total number of the members of the council.

Poblete said they have decided to veto certain items in the budget, although they still refused to give complete details about it, for the reason that if the DBM or COA will question the procedures, they will not be the one to answer for it.  (FREEMAN)