BY MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City – Mayor Monico Puentevella has asked the city council for a supplemental budget of P71,480,645 but for Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya, the amount may not be enough.
The additional funds are for the following:
- personnel services – P2,225,040
- Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) – P52,019,443.75
- special purpose appropriation – P17,236,161.25
- city council’s personnel services – P1,750.082
- City Legal Office – P374,958, and
- City Mayor’s Office – P100,000.
According to Gasataya, currently serving as acting mayor because Puentevella is in Spain attending the FIBA World Cup, the P1.7 million for the city council’s personnel services is too small if the 30 new positions in the legislative staff are factored in.
City Ordinance 08-13-654 created the 30 new positions (Staff Officer I, Salary Grade 11 / Step 1 and 15 Staff Officers II, Grade 13 / Step 1).
Gasataya suggested that the city mayor revise the supplemental budget request to include the new positions for funding.
But while Gasataya wanted the budget request increased, Councilor Caesar Distrito vowed to scrutinize it if the proposal “is in accordance with the immediate and priority needs of the city.”
Certain items in the supplemental budget request need clarification, added Councilor Jose Carl Lopez.
The MOOE is getting the biggest slice – P52,019,443.75 – of the proposed supplemental budget. It is for the following:
- City Mayor’s Office – P28,291,580
- General Services Office – P3,426,663.75
- City Health Office – P2,885,500
- Bacolod Traffic Authority Office – P2,621,284, and
- Solid Waste Management Division – P2,360,528.
The supplemental budget will also cover terminal leave pays (P2 million), 20-percent Development Fund (P8,296,129), five percent Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (P3,574,032.25), Tourism Development Project (P3,300,000) and representation and transportation allowance of Puentevella (P66,000).
Puentevella is scheduled to return to Bacolod City on Sept. 5.
He had suggested that the supplemental budget be taken from the July to December 2014 Internal Revenue Allotment of Bacolod City (P41,480.645) and local income for the same period (P30 million)./PN
