Tacloban SP okays city’s P713.4-M budget for 2010
TACLOBAN CITY — The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tacloban approved last Wednesday the more than P713.4 million budget of the city for 2010 as proposed by City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
The newly- passed P 713, 450, 012 budget for next year was the biggest yet in the history of the city and the first to reach the 700th million mark.
Also, next year’s budget is P79 million higher than the P 634 million allocation this year.
“With a bigger budget, we can provide financial assistance to the barangays for the construction of various infrastructure projects, expand employment opportunities to the urban poor residents, rehabilitate the existing hospital and build a new one, and strengthen our peace and order vigilance by providing additional patrol cars and the construction of new PNP city headquarters,” said Mayor Romualdez in his budget message.
“Also, we can spend more for basic services for our people such as better education, better health facilities, more anti-poverty programs, and better garbage collection and solid waste management, “ he added.
Under the 2010 budget, maintenance and other operating expenses got the highest allocation at more than P 254. 2 million or 36 percent of the total LGU budget.
Around 34 percent of the budget for next year was allotted to personnel services inclusive of the provision for Salary Standardization in the amount of P 240. 4 million.
The budget for capital outlay was P 174 million or 24 percent of the budget. The amount includes provisions for development projects in the amount of P80 million.
Appropriation for “special purposes” was given an allocation of P 195 .7 million, while the amounts of P P35. 6 million and P 8. 2 million were set aside for calamity and aid to the barangays, respectively.
Among the departments and offices of the city government, the City Mayor’s Office got the highest allocation at P 107. 6 million, followed by City General Services Office (P 69. 5 million), City Engineer’s Office ( P 45. 5 million), City Health Office ( P 28. 6 million), Sangguniang Panlungsod (P 27. 5 million), City Treasurer’s Office ( P 26. 2 million), City Social Welfare and Development Office (P 23. 6 million), City Environment and Natural Resources Office ( P 23. 4 million), City Division Office ( P 13. 1 million), and City Veterinary Office ( P 10. 2 million).
Total budget for non-office expenditures amounted to P 21. 9 million.
Among the notable non-office expenses under this item are P 5 million for the renewal of Philhealth coverage of 2, 964 indigents and the enrollment of 3, 000 more next year, and several million pesos intended for increase in honorarium of Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPO), Barangay Health Workers (BHW), and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) in the city.
Under the newly-approved city budget, the bigger part is to be sourced from the city’s share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) in the amount of P 395. 2 million.
It was learned that during last Wednesday’s session of the City Council, the approval of the 2010 budget, which was prepared by the City Budget Office headed by OIC- City Budget Officer Vicente Dy III, went smoothly. (CIO- JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SEÑASE)
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