City budget stalled anew
NEW ERRORS, LACK OF DOCUMENTS
MEMBERS of Dagupan City Hall’s finance committee came in full force and ostensibly prepared last week for the continuation of the hearing on the proposed 2011 budget before the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), only to find out that their presence was not good enough to compel the passage of the proposed budget.
The reason: The committee’s report, already in its third draft, again bore glaring errors in mathematical computation; worse, they brought produced oversized tarpaulins for the budget presentation sheet but they forgot to provide printed copies for the councilors.
Consequently, the hearing was adjourned on motion of Councilor Jesus Canto to allow the finance committee headed by City Administrator Vlad Mata time to correct the new errors and prepare printed copies of the budget for the council members’ individual perusal.
Canto admonished the finance committee members on the new errors causing another delay for the passage of the budget. The budget hearing held the previous week was adjourned also for the same reason – flawed presentation of data.
Councilor Maybelyn Fernandez echoed Canto’s sentiment saying even a mere P50,000 discrepancy in tabulation should not be overlooked because “this is still people’s money and need to be protected”.
“Iba yong ipino-propose nila sa amin sa naka-post (in the tarpaulin),” Fernandez said in an interview shortly after the hearing was adjourned.
Among the errors she spotted were items on “Land Improvement, from P13.5 to P15.5 million; “Other Structures”, from P27 million to P25 million; “Office Equipment, from P7,280,000 to P7,230,000 and from P680,000 to P730,000.
NOT THE COUNCIL’S JOB
City Administrator Mata, who answered all the questions from the councilors, acknowledged the errors and said, “This is not an immaculate budget. I’m sure, your honors, that you’d be able to see some errors and correct them.”
Fernandez retorted that it is not the duty of the council sitting en banc to correct the erroneous data, stressing that this is the job of the finance committee to be thorough in their tasks.
She added that the council will make the adjustments based on submitted correct data.
At the same time, Councilor Jeslito Seen, chairman on finance, said he was dismayed during the hearing because the city’s finance committee seemed to be withholding from them some vital information that should be found in the summary on allocations and obligations.
Councilor Librada Reyna also asked for details on the proposed budget such as a list of specific projects to be funded by the 20 percent development fund, the budget of which was prepared by the Local Development Council.
She told the committee, “You submitted the kwenta, but where’s the kwento?”
EVER CHANGING
The executive branch already submitted three drafts of the budget, one on October 18, 2010, the second on January 19 and the most recent on January 28.
“Hirap na hirap na kami doon sa isinu-submit nilang pabago-bago ang numbers. Kung tama lang sana mula sa umpisa baka we can finish it within 15 days,” said Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez who again chaired the hearing.
She stressed that continued submission of error-filled proposals prevent the council from acting judiciously to safeguard the people’s money.
When asked how the budget per department was prepared, basis, Mata replied the line item budgeting system with a 10 percent increase, and not the zero-based budgeting format as newly prescribed by the Department of Budget and Management.
Historically, this had been the trend before in previous budgets, Mata added.
Other councilors present during the hearing were Alvin Coquia, Luis Samson Jr. and Karlos Reyna.
Absent were Councilor Marc Brian Lim, the minority leader, and the two other members of the minority, Councilor Red Erfe Mejia and Liga ng mga Barangay Federation President Guillermo Vallejos.
Councilor Alfie Fernandez, a member of the majority, was also absent.–LM
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