BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here approved on final reading an ordinance appropriating some P113 million for the maintenance and other operating expenses of the city’s response against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the newly passed appropriation budget will be utilized by several offices of the local government.
These were the following:
* P22 million for the City Health Office (CHO)
* P28 million for the City Engineer’s Office (CEO)
* P32 million for City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO)
* P30 million for the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD)
During the approval of the city council on Saturday’s special session of the SP, councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. asked City Budget Officer Maria Imelda Williams why they have to appropriate an additional fund.
Gamboa said that SP already approved an appropriation ordinance earlier granting the city government the authority to use a P400-million fund for the same purpose.
Williams explained it before the city council that the earlier budget has a program of works and was already obligated.
Familiaran, for his part, said that the additional appropriation was sourced out from the local fund as savings of the city.
“The said budget was immediately approved by the city council because of the need of the city due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases here,” Familiaran said.
The fund will be released as soon as possible to the intended offices in the form of cash advance so that they can attend immediately their needs in relation to COVID-19, he added.
Based on Aug. 28 data of the Department of Health, this city has a total of 1,108 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 20 deaths./PN
