The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on second, third and final reading the P1.230 billion annual budget of the City for 2013, during its last session for 2012 yesterday.
It also approved on final reading the amendments to the Revised Revenue Code. Expressing elation over the speedy approval of the budget, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he is thanking the Vice Mayor and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod for acting on it on time. He also underscored the fact that their administration has managed to double the budget from the P614 million in 2004 when they took over, to the P1.230 billion the SP has approved for 2013. This is truly indicative of how the city has grown, he added. Bacolod Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said that, after approving the amendments to the Revised Revenue Code as requested by the businessmen, they will have it published and they hope to implement the new rates on January 15, 2013. The Revised Revenue Code was passed with majority of the SP members voting in the affirmative. Sayson said only Councilor Catalino Alisbo voted in the negative, saying that he wants to maintain his previous vote, while Councilors Archie Baribar, Sonya Verdeflor and Caesar Distrito voted in the affirmative, but with reservations. He said Verdeflor wanted to lower the rates to 35 percent of 1 percent but they cannot go lower than 37 percent of 1 percent, or their rates will be lower than the tax imposed by the municipalities. Baribar said he believes the rates should be lowered to just 10 percent of what is allowed by law. Distrito said he also voted in the affirmative with qualification that the cases filed against the city by the Rolling Hills Memorial Park before the Regional Trial Court and the one filed before the Department of Justice by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, be withdrawn. . Meanwhile, Sayson said the members of the SP voted in favor of the passage of the 3013 annual budget. He said Councilors Archie Baribar. El Cid Familiaran, Sonya Verdeflor, Councilor Catalino Alisbo and Elmer Sy also voted in the affirmative on the budget, but with abstention on the items regarding socio-economic enterprises. They do not want the Bacolod Housing Authority, City Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office, Bacolod City College placed under socio-economic enterprise, he added. Familiaran cited a memorandum circular discouraging local governments from subsidizing socio-economic enterprises that cannot sustain their operations. Espino had said earlier that the increase of P105 million in the new budget will fund the implementation of the last phase of the Salary Standardization law since Bacolod is one of the few cities in the Philippines to have complied with the law by giving the last tranche for next year. This will increase the salary of plantilla casuals from P6,862.00 to P9,000, he said. Espino added that the city will also focus on five key areas, which are peace and order, traffic and providing assistance to the Bacolod City Police Office, garbage collection, basic infrastructure, like roads, and education, with the passage of the new budget. BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO THE VISAYAN DAILY STAR
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