For Cebu City in 2023: Rama wants P50 billion budget

CEBU, Philippines — To ensure his Singapore-like vision is achieved, Cebu City Mayor Michael has proposed a whopping P50 billion annual budget for 2023.

The amount is over 500 percent bigger than the P9 billion budget of the city government this year.

The Office of the Mayor gets the biggest chunk with P27.9 billion earmarked for capital outlay, dwarfing in comparison this year’s only P2.59 billion allocation. Bulk of the proposed budget next year has been allocated for the construction of medium-rise buildings (MRBs) for socialized housing and lot acquisition.

A total of P25 billion has been earmarked for the purpose which will benefit the thousands of families expected to be affected in the ongoing efforts to recover the three-meter easements of waterways as part of the “Gubat sa Baha” Program.

The executive department also earmarked P2.33 billion for a proposed integrated project for water, drainage, and sewage plant. Another P300 million was earmarked for the establishment of digital highways at City Hall; P25.9 million for acquisition of motor vehicles; and P5 million for document tracking system, among others.

New City Hall

The executive department’s proposal also includes P400 million for the construction of a new Cebu City Hall; P400 million for a new Legislative Building; and P600 million for the renovation of the existing City Hall which will be converted into a modern museum.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) was allocated P2.3 billion in the proposed budget next year. This is also bigger than this year’s P117 million budget. The projects to be funded under the DEPW budget include the P600 million drainage projects; P600 million construction of retention ponds in frequently flooded areas; and another P600 million for slope protection on landslide-prone areas. P196 million was also earmarked for the construction of dams in the upland areas; and P71 million for the construction of bridges, among others.

Other notable items in the proposed budget for 2023 include the P1.08 billion for senior citizens’ cash assistance and P400 million cash aid to the barangays.

The Cebu City Council has referred the budget proposal to the committee on budget and finance for review and recommendations. The committee is set to conduct a series of budget hearings.

“This is the first time in the history of Cebu City that a mayor has proposed a P50-billion budget,” said Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

Garcia, however, said that it is not surprising considering the mayor’s ambitious goal for the city to be like Singapore.

Rama said he is confident the city has enough funds for the enormous annual budget. He also defended the huge budget proposal.

“The items in the proposed budget are well-founded not only of my belief but of the people who expect our government to perform at its best in these trying times,” Rama said in his budget message as reported by the city’s Public Information Office.

The executive department is counting on its local revenue sources to fund its annual budget for 2023. The city government is expecting P40.24 billion in real property taxes (RPT) next year.

An increase in real property taxes is expected with the city government’s plan to revise its schedule of market values for real properties. According to Rama, the city is revising its outdated real property tax rates.

Other local revenue sources the city government is expecting to fund its annual budget is from the business taxes (P3.5 billion) and other local taxes (P798 million).

The executive department is also expecting to collect P2.13 billion from non-tax revenues, which include regulatory fees, services/user charges, and other income receipts. The city government also has P2.74 billion national tax allotment share and P300 million ecozone share. (FREEMAN)