P16M budget for entire X-mas fete

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City Budget Office clarified that the ?16 million budget for the Pasko sa Mandaue next year is intended not only for the Christmas program and distribution of hams to City Hall employees but also for the city's entire Christmas celebration.

Mandaue City budget head Giovanni Tianero told reporters yesterday that the city's Christmas activities are divided into two categories. One is for the food, tokens, and hams distributed to City Hall employees, while the other covers activities such as Christmas presentations, programs, food parks, and other events during the season.

Tianero added that the budget also includes the payment of honoraria for judges of various activities, personnel for cleaning the food parks in December, and additional staff for the preparation of the city's Christmas events.

Additionally, he said that this year, ?7 million is allocated for Pasko sa Mandaue, while ?9 million is set aside for year-end evaluation activities.

However, the office has decided to make changes for next year by combining the two budgets into a single allocation, which will be called Pasko sa Mandaue.

He explained that for 2025, the city budget office decided to combine the budgets while keeping the same allocation structure to allow more flexibility in adjusting where to reduce or increase funding.

“Giusa to siya, gihimo nang 16. So basically, ang budget karon pareha ra sa next year. Actually, it’s the same, it is just more or less the same from the previous years,” said Tianero.

He emphasized that this approach allows them to better decide which aspects of Pasko sa Mandaue to prioritize, whether to increase activities or reduce spending on food, or vice-versa.

Tianero stressed that there was no increase in the budget; rather, the two separate December budgets were combined into a single allocation.

Based on the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing of Mandaue City, the ?16 million will be charged to the General Fund under Other Maintenance and Operating Expenses for Cultural, Athletic, and Other Activities, which includes the Pasko sa Mandaue and year-end evaluation activities.

To recall, Mandaue City Vice Mayor Nerissa Soon Ruiz sought clarification last Friday regarding the budget allocated for Pasko sa Mandaue in 2025, which is part of the city's approved ?4.5 billion annual budget for next year.

She said that the budget is a large amount, especially allocated for purchasing the hams. She even said the city government may have possibly increased hiring people to use them during the campaign period next year.

“Mao nangmahadlok ‘guro sila mahibaw-an kay sige man sila og hiring mga contractuals, mga job orders nga kahibaw ta magamit during period of campaign ba, mga ingon-ana,” she told reporters last Friday.

However, Tianero contradicted her claim, assuring that the funds will be allocated as intended and will not be diverted to “other purposes”.

“Election is in summer, I believe May, and budget ?16M is Pasko sa Mandaue. I am not expecting spending anything for Pasko sa Mandaue in summer,” he said.

The midterm elections will be on May 12, 2025.

He clarified that his office will not use the budget as a political tool, especially in response to the accusation of hiring more job-order employees next year, noting that there is already a separate budget for this, which remains the same as this year.

“I don’t know unsaon paggamit sa politika ang Pasko sa Mandaue nga budget for summer unless himuon nato og summer activities, pero Pasko sa Mandaue man ang budget,” said Tianero.

“Well anyway, they are entitled to their opinion basta the point is the budget is for Pasko sa Mandaue which will be spent on sometime November or December next year,” he added.

Last November 11, majority of the Mandaue City Council approved the ordinance for the annual budget of the city government for 2025, amounting to ?4.5 billion, while Councilors Joel Seno, Cesar Cabahug Jr., and Andreo Icalina opposed it.

It was also revealed that the three councilors and Ruiz could not attend the committee hearing on the budget due to “prior commitments”.

Ruiz acknowledged this, but contended that two days is not enough time to thoroughly examine the budget.

Councilor Malcolm Sanchez said during the session that if the three councilors had been present at the committee hearing, their questions would have been raised during the committee hearing, as suggestions are always welcome. — (FREEMAN)