The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City unanimously approved an appropriation ordinance amounting to P50 million requested by Mayor Monico Puentevella, during the special session yesterday.
It, however, included a colatilla that an appropriation for the remaining unpaid terminal leave benefits of former casual employees will be included in the next request for supplemental budget. The P50 million, that will be taken from the 2012 surplus of the city under the General Fund, is broken down into P12.4 million for “donations;” P25.4 million for General Services (City Mayor's Office); P9.2 million, salaries and wages of casuals (CMO); P2 million, tourism development project; and P1 million, other professional services. The P12.4 million item for “donations” includes financial assistance to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital amounting to P5 million, aid to barangays/schools (Charter Day celebration and MassKara Festival) – P2 million, and other donations under the Office of the Mayor – P5.4 million. Bacolod Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya yesterday said that, although there were issues and points that had to be clarified by City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos concerning the request of the Mayor, in the spirit of cooperation, and because they saw the urgency, the SP decided to call for a recess to discuss how things can be resolved legally. Gasataya said the SP also recommended that further attachments should be submitted by the Mayor as suggested by the City Treasurer, who cited that, as what had been done previously, the salaries of casual employees were being broken down into how much will go to Personnel Economic Relief/Additional Compensation allowance, and contribution to PhilHealth. He noted, though, that the request of Puentevella is silent concerning the period covered by the P9.2 million budget for salaries and wages of plantilla and job order casuals, since this was lumped under the City Mayor's Office. Gasataya said it is also not clear how many plantilla and job order casuals will be hired under the P9.2 million budget that was requested by the Mayor. They are giving Puentevella the discretion as chief executive on how the budget will be used, he said. In behalf of Puentevella, City Administrator Rolando Villamor thanked the SP for the approval of their request. He said the request includes a budget for job order and plantilla casuals that will be hired by the new administration. Villamor said the P50 million does not yet include the terminal pay of former casual employees, which is estimated to reach about P15 million. He said the SP should help Puentevella look for additional budget so he can grant their request to include the terminal pay benefits. Present at the session were councilors Roberto Rojas, Alex Paglumotan, Caesar Distrito, Mona Dia Jardin, Archie Baribar, El Cid Familiaran, Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdeflor, Claude Puentevella and Wilson Gamboa Jr. Not present were councilors Carlos Jose Lopez, Keith Ramos, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Em Ang, who is out of the country. Meanwhile, Villamor said the Tourism officials of Puerto Princesa paid a call on him yesterday because they have a tourism promotion activity at the Robinsons Place until Sunday. They are promoting Puerto Princesa as a tourism destination and are making arrangements with airline companies to establish a direct flight from Bacolod to Puerto Princesa, he said.*CGS
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