Bridge cities OK annual budgets

CEBU, Philippines- The Mandaue City Council yesterday approved on first reading the proposed  P2.7 billion budget for 2015 which is P900 million higher than 2014's P1.8 million  annual budget.

The proposed budget ordinance sponsored by City Councilor Diosdado Suico, chairman of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Appropriations, states that the sum of P2,738,676,505 is being appropriated to meet the necessary expenditures of the city for the year 2015.

Suico believes that the proposed 2014 budget will be approved because it was already deliberated upon thoroughly by the local finance committee.

The proposed budget ordinance, which was earlier submitted by Mayor Jonas Cortes to the City Council for its approval, says bulk of the amount will go to the general fund, with an allocation of P2,485,830,550.

In the same proposed budget, the public market will be allocated an amount of P68,905,985 while the city hospital will receive P47,853,318.

The City Sports Complex is allocated with P6,150,000 and the slaughterhouse P16,812,000.

Cortes said full provision has been made for all statutory and contractual obligations to the extent that the total proposed appropriation  for debt servicing has a total amortization of P72,850,000 with a breakdown of P23,000,000 for the general fund; P45,000,000 for  market, P4,500,000 for slaughterhouse and P350,000 for the city hospital.

The budget also includes P1 million aid to each of the 27 barangays in the city.

Some P130,000,000 or a lump-sum amount equal to the five percent of the budget year's income from regular sources has also been proposed  for appropriation to cover unforeseen expenditures which may arise from the occurrence of calamities in the city  or in other areas to be declared under state of calamity.

The total proposed appropriation  for personal services has been set at P334,217,353 while the total proposed appropriation  for the city's development projects is pegged at P113,124,652 which is not less than 20 percent of the city's projected share from its Internal Revenue Allotment of P565,623,256.

"A major segment in the proposed budget is devoted to the pursuit of goals and objectives of assuring delivery of basic services and facilities. Solid waste management, environmental protection  program, socio-economic program support for education and health care programs are allotted," Cortes' letter to the city council read.

City Treasurer Regal Oliva for his part is optimistic that the city can come up with the P2.7 billion budget once the City Council approves his proposal to amend the city's Revenue Code and to update the schedule of market value of the city's real property taxes.

In Lapu-Lapu City, the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on final reading yesterday the city's budget for the fiscal year 2015 which is at P1.5 billion.

Mayor Paz Radaza passed the proposed executive budget last October 15 for the council's approval.

The budget, according to Radaza, appropriates P1.4 billion for the general fund, P62.2 million for the operation of hospitals and P14.1 million for the operations of market and slaughterhouse.

The sectors under the general fund include general public services of P656 million, social services of P385 million and economic services of P136 million.

Under the 2015 budget, an amount of P10 million is set aside for the barangays while development projects are allocated P124 million.

Debt servicing is at P52 million while the Disaster Risk Reduction and  Management fund is P72 million.

Retirement and other benefits included for the next year's budget is P3 million.

As for the provision of medicines and medical supplies, P6.2 million has been earmarked. The budget includes the improvement of the city's health facilities and city's health insurance program for the indigent residents.

Under the operations of market and slaughterhouse, personal services are budgeted P7 million, maintenance and other operating expenses P5 million, capital outlay P840,000 and Disaster and Risk Management fund P705,720.

The sources for the financing of the operations of market and slaughterhouse will come from the income from the market amounting to P12 million and from the slaughterhouse amounting to P1 million. (FREEMAN)