Council questions 200-percent increase in 2015 training cost

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Human Resource Development Office has requested a 200-percent increase in the budget for training expenses in 2015, yet it even failed to utilize 65 percent of its P10-million allocation for 2014.

The City Council is questioning why the office wants P30 million for next year to train the city’s rank and file employees when it was able to use only P3.5 million of this year’s training budget.

The council said the proposed budget was “too big and impractical” considering the unutilized appropriation of P6.5 million.

City Councilor Margarita Osmeña said there must be guidelines to follow on trainings, like who are entitled to avail and who the resource speakers are, among others.

In response, HRDO Chief Dominic Diño said they will amend the career development plan, which is based on a 2010 study conducted by the city’s HR personnel recommending for the training of rank-and-file employees to enhance the delivery of services at City Hall.

He said, though, that a new study or analysis has to be conducted to update the data on the importance and need of trainings.

The HRDO’s proposed budget totaled P53.35 million, which comprises personnel services (P13 million) and maintenance and other operating expenses (P40 million), which is part of the proposed 2015 Annual Budget of P18.9 billion.

Cebu City Hall executive Department is proposing P1 million for the training expenses of the judiciary department, but the council somehow is wary that the fund would become a milking cow for unscrupulous agencies.

“We seem to be very generous with our funds. I don’t they asked for P1 million. I am concerned and somehow wary about the budget on training expenses because maybe everyone will then ask for training funding,” Committee on budget and Finance Margarita Osmeña said.

Councilor Sisinio Andales agreed, stressing that the Local Finance Committee should scrutinize the proposed budget and its items.

“We should also be prudent in giving and granting financial assistance for training expenses to non-employees of the city,” Andales said.

Osmeña pointed out that executive has to “set and limit” its priorities.

The P1 million would be sourced from the proposed Peace and Order Program budget next year amounting to P628.8 million, which is nearly 500-percent higher than this year’s P106.9 million. (FREEMAN)