Deliberation of ‘17 budget deferred
Total MOOE for next year cut by more than a million
SINCE there are figures that need to be reconciled, the Cebu City Council yesterday deferred the approval of the City Government’s annual budget for 2017.
The legislative body’s committee on budget and finance submitted a P6.1billion (not P5.9 billion as earlier reported) proposed annual budget for next year.
The original proposed annual budget Mayor Tomas Osmeña submitted was P7.2 billion.
During their special session yesterday afternoon, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera made an amendment on the proposed ordinance, particularly on the amount set aside for the quick respond fund.
Pesquera, who is the budget and finance committee head, said its appropriation is only P88 million instead of P89.4 million so it will not go over the 30-percent limit.
The quick response fund, which is under the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), forms part of the P258-million proposed calamity fund.
The calamity fund is five percent of the annual budget. Of the total amount, at least 70 percent is intended for disaster preparedness while the remaining 30 percent is reserved for quick response operations.
Raising capital outlay
Councilor Margarita Osmeña asked where the difference will be transferred.
Pesquera said it will be put under the budget intended for evacuation facilities, a capital outlay item. Its appropriation will amount to more than P107 million instead of P106 million.
Osmeña asked if that won’t change the total amount for the proposed annual budget.
Pesquera said it will only mean that the total MOOE for next year amounting to P4.3 bil- lion will be reduced by more than a million while the total capital outlay amounting to P185 million will be increased.
After several discussions, however, other councilors suggested deferring the deliberation until the amounts are reconciled. Pesquera yielded.
The proposed ordinance is expected to be tackled in the council’s regular session next week.
Low projection
As to why the budget and finance committee slashed the mayor’s proposed annual budget, Pesquera told the council it is because of the low collection efficiency of the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) this year.
Based on the pro- nouncement of the CTO, the projected realistic income for next year is only P5.43 billion.
“Considering the low collection efficiency, the city treasurer was advised to find ways to improve their collection by taking into account the technology,” said Pesquera in a committee report.
Among the items slashed by the council are the garnishment for the Roque Ting property (from P30 million to P1 million), lot acquisition of the Roque Ting property (from P30 million to P1 million), supplies and materials for the Inayawan landfill (from P10 million to P1 million) and the anti-drug campaign (from P50 million to P5 million).