From P400M to P262M: Garcia slashes Palaro budget

CEBU, Philippines — The budget for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 hosting has been trimmed down to P262 million from the P400 million overall approved budget.

In a press conference yesterday, June 3, 2023, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced the decision to slash the overall budget of at least 36 percent following his initial order to suspend all the procurement activities pending his review.

The overall approved budget was P400 million, that included P200 million from the approved annual budget for 2024 and the P200 million from the Supplemental Budget 1.

“I have authorized the charging of P262 million out of the P400 million, there is a cut of P138 million and that is the maximum,” Garcia announced.

The mayor explained that it is considered a maximum amount since they even anticipate that during the process of procurement, there may be a lower bidder that could further lower the cost.

According to Garcia, the budget cut was motivated by a budget realignment after determining the items that must be prioritized.

He also said that another factor is because it has been determined that some items were “excessive”.

Garcia said among those cuts is the supposed extension of the grandstand or the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), which amount was established at P38 million.

“Which wala pa sugdi, di pa mahuman by that time (Palarong Pambansa), so ako nalang gi cut altogether,” said Garcia.

He, however, said that if this proposed extension will be used in the future and would be deemed important, then the city government can include it in the next year’s annual budget.

Aside from this, Garcia said he cut down the P68 million intended for side events to P20 million.

He also cut the budget for the procurement for the LED wall by P50 million.

Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros, chairman of the Committee on Sports of the Cebu City Council, has earlier said that included in the P205 million supplemental budget is the construction and installation of the digital and visual LED display that would cost more than P135 million.

Last May 20, Garcia ordered the immediate suspension of the procurement orders for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 to assess its budget appropriations.

Garcia announced that the suspension was due to comments from “well-meaning” individuals, including some of the Cebu City Councilors.

Seven days after his order, Garcia signed an order cancelling the procurement of the 230 units of portabaths and 248 units of portalets requested by the Local School Board.

A document addressed to the Bids and Awards Committee-Goods and Services read that the cancellation stemmed from the “conditions that render the project no longer economically, financially, or technically feasible considering the necessity of securing additional funds for the implementation of the Palarong Pambansa”. — (FREEMAN)