Oro’s social services sector gets P2.1 B budget next year

CAGAYAN DE Oro’s budget for the social services sector next year will be over P2.1 billion, or 33.1-percent of the total budget of P6.5 billion.

This is contained in the executive budget submitted by Mayor Oscar S. Moreno to the 18th City Council headed by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy for deliberation, which will start soon.

This sector is grouped into Health, Nutrition and Hospital Services with an allocation of P1.16 billion and Social Security, Social Services and Welfare, P989.5 million.

The Power learned that this includes the Philhealth Indigency Program in the amount of P180 million for 75,000 beneficiaries, and the Point of Care program amounting to P30 million. Out of the proposed budget, P15.3 million is intended for the operation of the City Health Insurance Office.

For the existing programs of the City Health Department, P207 million is intended for administrative support services and for hospital services, P500 million.

Meanwhile, the amount of P989 million is provided for the delivery of social services and welfare and other administrative support, which is 46-percent of the total Social Services allocation.

In his budget message, Mayor Moreno said the increase in the proposed 2018 budget is reflective of the desire of his administration to respond to its constituents’ needs especially the delivery of sustained health services, responsive education, adequate housing/resettlement, improved transport system, and rural-urban connectivity through improved road networks, among others.