Iloilo City Council okays COVID-19 response budgets

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The Iloilo City Council approved during a special session on Tuesday two supplemental budgets as part of the response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In two separate resolutions, the City Council approved the P9.5-million funding for the hiring of doctors and nurses, and another P291-million supplemental budget for additional food supplies to city residents.

The P9.5-million budget will be used to hire 23 doctors and 46 nurses.

The doctors have already started working on March 1 until May 31. The nurses started on March 16 and are also expected to end their service on May 31.

Councilor Jose Efrain “Jay” Treñas III, chair of the City Council’s appropriations committee, said that the budget will be used for the salaries of doctors and nurses at P900 per day.

The City Council also approved a resolution authored by Councilor Alan Zaldivar commending frontline healthcare workers for their service to the people of Iloilo City.

 

FOOD ASSISTANCE

Another P291 million is intended for additional food supplies to be distributed to the city’s residents. The funds are from the city’s savings and surplus from previous budgets.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said Monday that the budget was originally allocated to barangay projects but it was diverted to COVID-19 relief efforts.

The mayor also clarified that on top of the P98 million approved on March 19, the P291 million is set aside should the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) is extended.

The ECQ was implemented through Executive Order No. 55-2020 and is in effect until April 14, 2020.