Cebu City Hall eyes P18 billion investment in 2016

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Development Council has submitted for council approval the P18 billion Annual Investment Plan of the city government next year. 

The amount was immediately questioned by the members of the City Council because of alleged “discrepancy.”

Councilor Alvin Arcilla said the projects under the AIP should be “balanced” to that of the proposed projects under the P8.9 billion annual budget.

“Mangutana lang ko nganong naay very big amount of discrepancy between the AIP and the annual budget? Which is really the priority of the city? Mas maayong i-return ang AIP to CDC para mahatag nila ang priority nga projects,” he said.

The AIP, which contains the programs and projects for next year, was planned by the city with the help of different stakeholders including the barangays, private and public individuals. It serves as guide of the executive department in the formulation of the annual budget.

Mayor Michael Rama, in his introductory letter to the City Council, said the executive department pushed for P8.9 billion annual budget next year because he is aware of the forthcoming elections and the term limits of elected officials.

Rama said he is proposing a leaner budget, which is less than half of the proposed P18 billion worth of projects under the AIP. But, Arcilla said the AIP should be “balanced” to that of the annual budget, saying that CDC should have prioritized projects that it wished to be implemented next year.

He added that the amount of the projects and programs under the AIP should be in accord of the availability of funds of the city. Councilor Margarita Osmeña said that the CDC should propose “realistic” projects.

She said the members of the CDC should also be guided of the plans of the city so that the Council will not be blamed when it slash the budget. Councilor Gerardo Carillo said the city is being assisted by the national government to fund the projects and programs under the AIP.

Carillo said those projects listed in the AIP are only the city’s wish list, adding that it is the discretion of the City Council whether to approve it or not. The City Council has invited the members of CDC in an executive session next week to explain the proposed amount.

Projects and programs under AIP

The bulk of the P18 billion worth of projects and programs is given to the Department of Engineering and Public Works. DEPW gets P6 billion worth of projects.

These include the proposed P500 million construction of Cebu City Medical Center,  P1 million renovation of the flooring for Unit 1 Carbon Market, P20 million for the renovation of the Pasil Fish Market, P100 million for the construction of new abattoir, P290 million for the road concreting project with drainage system in the urban barangays in the north district, P220 million for the road concreting project with drainage system in the urban barangays in the south district, another P500 million for the road concreting for urban areas, P670 million for the asphalting of roads in the north district, P338 million for the asphalting of roads in the south district, among others.

It is also included in the AIP the P1.3 billion worth of projects and programs of the Office of the Mayor; P2.1 billion for the General Services Office; P363 million for the City Agriculture Department; and P1 billion for the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor.

Osmeña asked the Local Finance Committee to submit documents like the actual collection of the taxes and non tax revenues of the city as of September 2015, among others before they will start the marathon budget hearing of the proposed P8.9 billion annual budget.

Osmeña also asked a comparative statement of receipts from years 2011 to 2014; actual collection of the city of the tax revenue and non tax revenue and other sources of funds; explanation letter as to the increase of salary for the casual employees; among others. — (FREEMAN)