Oro council approves P6.3-B 2019 budget

• Source: https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1781801/Cagayan-De-Oro/Local-News/Oro-council-approves-P63-B-2019-budget
• Tuesday, January 8, 2019

By PJ ORIAS

THE City Council has finally approved the P6.3 billion 2019 budget, but without the support of four councilors.

During its first session for this year, the City Council approved the budget slashing only about P200 million from Mayor Oscar Moreno's proposed P6.5 billion.

Majority of the councilors voted to pass the budget, except for opposition councilors Leon Gan, Nadya Emano-Elipe, and Lordan Suan.

In an interview, Gan said the approved budget is unreasonable as it exceeds the actual collection.

"Ang kita sa dakbayan nilabay na tuig wapa miabot sa target, labaw na siguro karon. Pipila lang ang malipay ana nga budget. Mag-antos gihapon ang katawhan," Gan said.

"Kung atong kita niabot ug P3 billion, ang ato pud untang gastuhon una ang ato lang nakita, pwede ra man dungagan pag abot sa tunga-tunga kung nidako ang income. Lisod man ang budget nga walay sakto ang basehan asa kuhaon ang pondo," Gan added.

Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya meanwhile said the approved budget is necessary for a growing city like Cagayan de Oro to operate and continue its momentum this year.

Nacaya said before its approval, the budget was carefully deliberated and scrutinized.

"Maybe it is now easier for the executive to achieve their target since we only approved the P6.3 billion," he added.

The bulk of the 2019 budget has been allocated for the economic services which will get P2.6 billion or 41.4 percent.

The city has also set aside its 20 percent Development Fund in the amount of P333 million, while about P1.2 billion has been proposed to fund various infrastructure projects.