City owes suppliers P400M

CEBU, Philippines -  While Mayor Michael Rama is giving priority to the distribution of financial aid to senior citizens amounting to P240 million, the Cebu City Government still has close to P400 million payables to various suppliers and contractors.

City Accountant Diwa Cuevas, in a letter addressed to Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, said the P389.6 million payables are just for 2012.

Osmeña, head of the budget committee, said the city also has other payables for this year.

Rama met with City Treasurer Emma Villarete last Wednesday and instructed her to prioritize the release of the P4,000 cash assistance for senior citizens which will be done on Monday and Tuesday.

Villarete could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The mayor announced that all City Hall department heads will act as supervisors or monitoring officers during the distribution of the cash assistance to senior citizens on Monday for the north district barangays and Tuesday for the south district barangays.

Rama will not follow the amendment in the budget ordinance made by the city council providing that distribution of cash assistance to senior citizens must be done monthly.

Rama wants the distribution to be done quarterly. — /MBG (FREEMAN)