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BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – Six offices may be excluded from the P2-billion proposed 2017 annual budget of the city government.
Their heads failed to appear in the budget hearings led by the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on finance and appropriations.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, committee chairman, said they recommended the exclusion of the following:
* Bacolod Boys Home
* City Population Office
* Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO)
* Human Resource Management Services
* Register of Deeds
* Board of Tax Appeal
Distrito said his committee already submitted a report for deliberation on Monday next week, Dec. 5.
These six offices will not have any allocation for 2017 once the city council approves the budget, he said.
“Kwaon gid sila sa annual budget,” said Distrito. “That is if the Sanggunian follows the committee’s advice.”
This will “teach these offices a lesson,” he stressed.
Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, BTAO head, claimed he did not receive any official invitation from the city council.
He said he only learned about it when Distrito sent him a text message demanding an explanation for his absence.
Panay News was still trying to reach the other five office heads for comment as of press time.
The finance and appropriation committee held budget hearings on Nov. 15, 16 and 18.
Distrito said the six offices may still appeal before the city council.
The proposed annual budget for 2017 was P200 million higher than the 2016 budget.
Much of it was allocated for the increase of the employees’ salaries, Distrito said.
The Salary Standardization Law 4 will be applied among regular workers, while compensation for job-order casuals will be raised to P10,000 from P7,500.
The 2017 budget also includes allotments for free school supplies and miscellaneous fees for public elementary and high schools; free public Wi-Fi; cakes and December cash incentives for senior citizens; and initiatives against rabies and illegal drugs.
Distrito believes the budget will be approved within the month./PN
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