STOP wasting our time.

This, in a nutshell, was the message sent out by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, who concurrently chairs the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP), as she called on the critics of the city council and the minority group to just allow the councilors to do their job of reviewing the proposed 2011 budget.

“Stop insulting, fault-finding the Sangguniang Panlungsod and give us time to carefully study the budget,” said Fernandez.

At the same time, the vice mayor concurred with the suggestions of Councilor Jesus Canto during their session Monday for the council members to observe a moratorium on giving comments regarding the pending passage of the 2011 proposed city budget to prevent flaring the already fiery situation.

Mayor Benjamin Lim has been lambasting the SP for allegedly delaying the passage of the proposed budget due to political reasons. Lim’s party is represented by a four-man minority team in the SP.

Some department heads from the executive branch have reportedly sent letters to the SP, pressuring them to pass the budget.

Fernandez said such efforts are within the people’s rights but branded these as a “waste of time” because the council is in fact thoroughly studying the budget as fast as possible.

The council has been conducting hearings on the budget but it has had to return the proposal to the city hall’s finance committee twice to correct errors and discrepancies.

“Ang ginagawa naman nila gaya ni Councilor Red Mejia kanina gaya ng pinagsasabi niya puro naman mali. Ilang beses na lang nag-question pero hindi naman niya kinukwestion yong discrepancies na ginagawa ng executive sa atin,” Fernandez said.

The vice mayor again pointed out that in three items alone, there were already about a P12-million discrepancy in the proposed budget.

“Sana ihinto natin lahat yong pag aatake at mag aral na rin kayo Councilor Red,” she said.

In a privilege speech on January 31, Mejia cited that the delay in the passage of the budget has been affecting the malnourished children under the city’s feeding program.

Fernandez, however, countered: “Did you know that as per information I gathered at the Nutrition Office, three months of the needs for the feeding program for the malnourished kids had been purchased in advance which was illegal?”

Fernandez also reiterated that the council is fully committed to pass the budget but not without a proper review which is a part of their main responsibility as representatives of the people.

“Once and for all, sasabihin ko sa inyong lahat, ang budget po ng 2011 ay papasa, commitment po ng Sangguniang Panlungsod kahit na walang resoluyon ho yan…We have our word of honor. I don’t know if those attacking us have this,” Fernandez assured.

She added that the council will make sure that the budget that will be passed by the council is one that is responsive to the needs of the city.

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