Maasin City, Southern Leyte – The Sangguniang Panlunsod has passed during its recently special session at city hall a resolution on its second and final reading approving the 2009 Annual Performance Budget of the City in the amount of P250,000,382.00.

The approval of the 2009 Annual Performance Budget was moved by City Councilor Ma. Essie Espina-Garvez, Chairwoman Committee on Finance and Appropriation, and were seconded by Councilors Margarita Bantug and Nestor Sy, who likewise approved it unanimously.

During the discussions it was learned that bus terminal operations has a total estimated annual income of P6,063,800.00; market operations P6,483,700; and slaughterhouse operations P1,371,000.00.

Garvez revealed that the total estimated amount of income of P13,918,500.00 of the City Government from its three businesses will in turn go to the following expenditures: a) personal services- P92,500,293.42; b) maintenance and other operating? expenses (M00E) – P28,264,957.26; c) capital outlay-P2,500,000.00;d)non-office operations- P126, 735,131.32. These 4 categories of expenditures, if added together, has a total amount of P250, 000,382.00.

Earlier, before the end of December 2008 a resolution was passed approving the 2008 number 4 supplemental budget of P5, 529,461.69 for the City.

In this connection another resolution was also passed by Garvez realigning the amount of P3, 175,384.45.00.

This amount is from unobligated balances under the non-office expenses and P1M from Socio-Cultural Program and activities to payment of bank loan amortization. Another amount of P10, 000.00 was released from aid to Various Entities as aid to Vice Mayors League of Provinces (VMLP) annual dues of the Vice-Mayor to the VMLP-Eastern Visayas Chapter. The City Vice-Mayor Effie Abiera-Sabandal is among the members of this organization in which annual contribution is required.

Extra cash gifts was also granted earlier last December 2008 thru approved resolution passed by the Chairman Committee on Finance as mandated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to all government offices/agencies nationwide. However, the granting of such extra cash gifts, it was learned, is subject to the regular accounting and auditing regulations. This is aside from the issuance of Circular from the office of the President. For the regular employees- P23, 000.00; for the casual employess- P16, 000.00; for job order employees-P10, 000.00.? (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

About the Contributor:

Mr. Quirico M. Gorpido Jr was an erstwhile Correspondent/Contributor to the following weeklies and dailies: Tacloban-based regional weekly a 33-year-old The Reporter for many years(now defunct), a Cebu-based weekly The Visayan Express(now defunct),Cebu-based daily The Freeman(1994-1998) now a sister publication of The Philippine Star, Maasin-based weekly The Southern Leyte Times for three years, Tacloban-based daily The Leyte Samar Daily Express(2000-2001), Cebu-based daily the Cebu Daily News(2002-2003), Tacloban-based weekly 7-year-old Tribune(2003-2007).