De los Reyes: Budget slash unreasonable

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes yesterday agreed that the majority rules in a democratic country, but he insisted that the slashing of the third supplemental budget by the majority bloc of the City Council was "unreasonable."

De los Reyes, also known as "JVR," told The FREEMAN it will be useless for him to veto the approved P27,736,845 supplemental budget out of the original P73.9 million because it will then be overruled by the majority anyway.

Of the 11 members of the council, two are allied to De los Reyes.

"Akong dawaton ang ilang slashing sa supplemental budget bisan dili makatarunganon. Manubag nalang gyud sila sa mga Talisaynon karong umaabot 2016," De los Reyes said.

But what surprised De los Reyes was the total disapproval of an appropriation under maintenance and other operating expenses intended for senior citizens in the amount of P2.5 million.

With no amount approved, De los Reyes said the P500 cash gift to more than 3,000 elderly locals can no longer be increased to P1,000. 

The city government is giving P500 yearly cash gift to senior citizens on the day of their birthdays.

"Atong ipahibalo ngadto sa mga senior citizens nga dili na nato mapun-an ang ilang P500 nga gipangayo kay wala man gyud gahini sa konseho ang atong gipangayo nga increase. Ang ilang gipanabi nga gamiton kuno nako sa pamolitika, aw mao nalang gyud na ang ilang huna-huna sa atong mga lihok nga puros politika kay ilaha man nang binuhatan," De los Reyes said.

De los Reyes also wondered why the council did not slash the financial assistance of P4 million to barangays.

"I was thinking that the P4 million will be slashed pero wala nila gilaslasan kay mahadlok man sila sa mga barangay opisyal nga basin manimalos nila panahon sa eleksiyon," De los Reyes added.

City Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, said the city council, especially the majority, cannot simply approve a budget without a corresponding program of work.

"We are simply protecting the interest of the people," Alesna said, adding that the slash would not imperil the city's delivery of basic social services. — Garry B. Lao (FREEMAN)