Cebu City proposes lower 2018 budget; cuts made in funds for seniors, PWD aid, barangay groups

CEBU CITY’s P6.29-billion proposed budget for 2018 is almost a billion lower than this year’s P7.2 billion, with cuts made mainly on the allocation for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and barangay groups. “Cost cutting,” was Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña’s brief explanation when sought for comment. In the city’s 2018 budget, the aid for senior citizens went down to P605 million from P807 million while that for PWDs decreased to P78 million from P91 million. The funds for the Association of Barangay Councils, Barangay Councilors’ League of the Philippines, and Lupong Tagapamayapa dropped to P1 million from P3 million while aid for the Lupong Tagapamayapa went down to P500,000 from P1 million. Councilor Margarita V. Osmeña, deputy mayor for budget and finance matters, said the city’s Local Finance Committee trimmed down next year’s spending plan as it aims to achieve a realistic budget. “It’s really matching it as what was seen by the local finance committee as realizable, realistic and achievable. It’s really skin and bones,” she said. Ms. Osmeña also clarified that the reduction of the allocations does not mean fewer people will benefit. For the senior citizens and PWDs, for example, the executive department can always ask for additional money or submit a supplemental budget when the need arises, she said. The city distributes a P12,000 annual financial assistance to registered senior citizens and P5,000 to PWDs. In the case of the barangay groups, Ms. Osmeña said, “That kind of assistance is not a requirement but we will not take it out altogether.” —