Budget vetoed

Mayor to correct items on defunded positions, saying it will cause problems

Osmeña explains that P33M in budget will be used to pay church for road right of way

CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will veto some portions of the Councilapproved P7.2-billion annual budget for the City Government next year.

In his news conference Monday night, Osmeña said that although he will approve the budget, portions will be vetoed because he observed many defects.

Among the defects that the mayor noted is the item on defunded positions in City Hall.

All regular positions that are now vacant don’t have budget appropriations, which means that the City can’t hire.

“The logic there is very simple, it’s a permanent position because there’s a purpose for that. Who are you to say we can’t put anyone there. Supposedly, if the mayorship is vacant, we will defund that also? It’s a reckless blanket statement and you have to name those positions and amend the whole system through a law,” Osmeña said.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña also raised the same concern immediately after the budget was approved in the Council.

She feared that it might be declared inoperative again due to some technicalities.

Margot would have wanted to discuss it before the annual budget was approved last week, but she added that the major- ity bloc of the Council railroaded it to hasten the approval process.

However, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella who presides over the Council denied that they rushed the approval of the budget.

Labella said that if the councilors wanted to discuss several items on the budget, they should have done it during the discussion portion.

Osmeña also explained why he included P33 million allocation in his pro-

posed budget, which will supposedly be used to pay the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) for the removal of their wall along F. Sotto St.

Osmeña said the widening of F. Sotto St. will help decongest vehicular traffic along Gen. Maxilom Ave., going to Gorordo Ave.

“The national government is willing to go out of its way to pay for the right of way, but I think they’re reluctant to go all the way so I offered. These people are so bitter, they’re blinded already, there’s no more logic in what they’re saying,” Osmeña said.