After seven hearings on the proposed 2016 general budget amounting to P1.8 billion, Bacolod Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Finance, yesterday said he will submit the consolidated committee report to the City Council for deliberation and approval next month. Puentevella earlier said he would try to submit the report before the end of January. Due to the absence of six department heads during the budget hearings, though, he said he will need to meet with them again before finalizing the draft of the report. Puentevella urged department heads from the City Budget Office, Human Resource Office, and other concerned department heads, as well as the Officer-in-Charge of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) to attend the committee conference on Monday, in order to discuss certain budgetary items that need to be scrutinized. “It is important for them to attend because we need to clarify their concerns about their proposals that will be part of the 2016 budget,” said Puentevella. He also wants to study the ability of the city to fund the projected P1.8 billion budget for this year. Some SP members have expressed urgency in passing the budget as they believe the delay will hamper the City’s ability to deliver basic services. At present, the city is using a reenacted budget of P1,550,000,000. Meanwhile, Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the SP, during their regular session yesterday, had yet to act on the 2016 budget because they are still waiting for the committee report of Puentevella. Familiaran disclosed there are 63 pending requests with the SP that have yet to be tackled. According to its rules, the SP cannot entertain other matters prior to the approval of the annual budget. WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino January 28, 2016
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