City budget to be approved soon

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s Supplemental Budget no. 3, which includes the employees’ salary increase and Christmas bonuses, is expected to be approved either this week or next week already, City Councilor Noel Wenceslao said.

Wenceslao, chairman of the City Council’s committee on budget and finance, made this announcement during the City Hall’s regular flag-raising yesterday morning.

SB3 has over ?300 million which Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia wanted approved last month yet.

With the committee report on SB3 already done, Wenceslao said they are now set to tackle it in this week’s session.

“Nahuman na ang atong budget hearing…Karong Myerkules, ako ng iduso sa konseho ang committee report,” Wenceslao said.

After the approval the such report comes the final deliberation.

“Either karong Miyerkules or next week, maaprubahan na nato ang SB3,” he added.

Wenceslao said personally supports giving regular and casual employees ?25,000 bonus each.

Last year, the City Council approved ?20,000 as Christmas bonus instead of ?35,000 which then Mayor Mike Rama wanted.

This time, Mayor Garcia is hoping to give the regular employees ?25,000 thousand while a gratuity pay of ?5,000 is also being proposed plus and a so-called financial assistance for barangay workers at ?5,000 as well.

“Sa akong bahin, I have to be consistent…Sa panahon ni Mayor Mike Rama, kon unsay gi-propose sa atong mayor, ako niuyon g’yud ko…Mao na nga ako I’m for the ?25,000, klaro lang,” Wenceslao said.

Wenceslao also mentioned colleagues in the City Council including Jaypee Labella, Jerry Guardo, and Francis Esparis, who nodded to it.

Regular employees are also hoping to finally get the salary increase promised them.

Wenceslao through the city’s Sugbuanon Channel said the SB3 will serve to comply with Executive Order 64 that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed on August 2. This EO grants salary increases to government workers and additional allowances for state employees in four tranches until 2027.

Under the said EO, wage increases for workers in local government units must be authorized by their respective municipal and city councils, including provincial boards.

LGUs under the said EO can implement wage increases based on a percentage rate depending on their class and financial capability, such as 100% for special or first-class cities or provinces while also allowing second- and third-class provinces and cities to implement 95% and 90%, respectively, of the adjusted rate based on EO guidelines.

In another development, Wenceslao also said that a marathon budget hearing will be tackled starting this November 11.

“Department head, nagpahibaw lang sad ko ninyo nga ato ng tukion ang atong annual budget starting November 11…It will be a marathon budget hearing gikan November 11 up to November 30,” Wenceslao said.

A marathon hearing for next year’s annual budget is set so that it will be approved by the yearend.

“Para karong Disyembre, wala na tay laing tukion kon dili paghimo na lang sa committee report and final deliberation so we can approve the annual budget on or before December 31,” Wenceslao added. — (FREEMAN)