EMPLOYEES of the city government, particularly the regular workers, rejoiced when the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed Supplemental Budget No. 4 last week, allotting  P38.9 million for various expenditures of the city government up to the end of the year.

The approval of the measure was made during a special session called by Mayor Belen Fernandez last Dec. 18, two days after a regular session of the SP where no quorum was reached.

Part of the supplemental budget covers the 14th month pay and additional P3,500 incentive for regular workers in recognition of their efforts in rendering transparent and efficient services to the people for a Balon Dagupan.

The supplemental budget was also used to pay for the wages of emergency workers (EWs) and technical consultants of the city government for the months of November and December and to pay for the electric bills due to the Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp).

Prior to the passage of the ordinance, City Budget Officer Luz De Guzman was asked by the council to explain whether the payment of salaries of former traffic aides under the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) and the emergency workers hired by the office of the vice-mayor are included in the supplemental budget.

EWs

De Guzman disclosed that the salaries of the traffic aides who have worked from July to August this year prior to the termination of their contract was already included in the approved supplemental budget excluding those EWs who have been contracted by the SP.

She clarified that she had earlier forwarded a communication to the office of Vice Mayor Brian Lim  stating that the hiring of EWs at the SP is subject to the availability of funds.

“It is unfortunate that we only have so much funds left to cover the various expenses of the city. Doon sa hiring ng emergency workers, it does not necessarily mean na kung ilan yung mga EWs last year ay ganun din ang bilang ng mga EWs na iha-hire ng city,” De Guzman intoned.

“Depende po talaga sa pondo ng siyudad kung meron pang enough to cover the hiring of more EWs at the SP,” she added.

At the same time, De Guzman also made it clear that the city’s electric bill is given more weight than the hiring of EWs as this is mandatory and a fixed expense of the city.

“Hindi po tayo puwedeng magbayad ng bill natin sa kuryente this year na ia-awas natin later sa ating 2014 budget just to give way for the hiring of EWs. Meron po tayong memorandum from the Commission on Audit (COA) na hindi natin puwedeng i-charge ang previous obligation sa current obligation. According to COA, this is tantamount to technical malversation. We do not want this to happen again with us,” said De Guzman, referring to the practice of the previous administration.

Under former Mayor Benjamin Lim, at least P17 million in electric bills incurred in the previous year was paid out of the 2013 budget.

De Guzman said the administration of Fernandez will not follow that bad precedent.

As to the EWs who reportedly already signed a contract with the office of the vice mayor, the city can ask for another supplemental budget following standard procedures.

“But then again, this is subject to the availability of funds,” De Guzman noted.–with reports from CIO

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