OWING to the experienced shortfall in revenue collection by the city government last year, certain projects of the city government this year had to be cancelled in anticipation of another shortfall this year.

    The Sanggunian Panlungsod approved an ordinance deleting the listed projects that required a total P6, 674,587 fund support.

    Romelita Alcantara, city treasurer, told the PUNCH that the city only managed to collect P341 million from a P350 million target, or a P9 million shortfall.

    Alcantara said the city government will again be hard put in meeting the P357 target revenue collection this year.

    The cancellation was supported by Luz De Guzman, city budget officer, who agreed the projects were better off cancelled since these can no longer be supported.

    She said it was imperative for the city government to realign and prioritize its projects for this year.

    Among the projects  deleted from the 2005 annual budget were the Fish Processing Plant with a budget of (P2,500,000.00); Pantal Riverbank Development (P1,672,747.89); Tondaligan Park Redevelopment (P2,500,000.00); and Street Lighting (P1,839.14).

    Some city hall insiders, who wished to remain anonymous, said the cancellation was unfortunate and the priorities set by the Lim administration were flawed noting that the city government had funds for the Bangus Festival but nothing for Pantal and Tondaligan.

    Meanwhile, the SP also approved ordinance no. 305 reverting the amount of P4,252,000.00 million from savings on  personal services from various offices in the city government to the unappropriated balance of the general fund.

    The amount was also appropriated to cover the cost of various expenditures, including salaries of emergency workers that were delayed for two months. – AQL

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