MikeLigalig.com

There's no stopping the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) majority bloc who practically rammed the approval of the P337,052,121 city budget for 2009 despite vehement protests by opposition lawmakers.

City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso and minority councilors Zenaido Rama, Anne Mariquit Oppus and Bebiano Inting cast doubts on the "unjustified increase" of this year's fund appropriation by P78,813,732 or 31% higher than last year's.

The minority accused their colleagues allied with the city mayor of railroading the budget approval even when they still have pending questions raised on some items that needed clarifications.
Vice Mayor Veloso told the Chronicle the approval breezed through SP deliberations in record-breaking time of just two regular sessions.

Prior to the approval on final reading, Veloso said he could not recall any other meetings where the 2009 city budget was exhaustively discussed and scrutinized.

"There would have been enough time to hold deliberations for the questioned items to be properly explained and exhaustively discussed," Veloso added.

CAMPAIGN KITTY?
Still fighting to publicly divulge the names of city officials and employees involved in the P6.5 million unliquidated cash advances, Kag. Rama now regards the 2009 city budget as the city administration's 'campaign kitty.'

With the 2010 elections just around the corner, Rama pointed out that the "unjustified" increases in the budget could be used to woo votes.

"Where will the increase go?" Rama asked, indicating that city residents should be vigilant of how much of the city's revenue is actually utilized as reflected in the budgetary items and other expenditure details.

"Fund appropriations and actual expenditures come from us, the taxpayers. At the end of the day, we are the ones who will be actually paying for government expenses," the lawmaker stressed.

According to Rama, there are indications that the proposed 2009 city budget is "stuffed with funding" for infrastructure and other activities to draw the electorate's support.

Rama cited that appropriation for public works has surprisingly increased this year, while there have been past allocations, including supplemental budgets, for road improvements and concreting.

The city lawmaker emphasized the huge allocation of P15 million for city casual workers which could only mean that the city will double the number of its casual employees this year and ensure captive voters in the 2010 polls.

"Why not fill up vacant plantilla positions having precise responsibilities and functions instead of hiring many casual workers whose tasks are doubtful?" Rama questioned.

Majority councilors defended the questioned annual budget saying it is reportedly the smallest annual appropriation by a city in Central Visayas.

source: The Bohol Chronicle

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