VIRUS SAPPING CITY HALL FUNDS: Mayor eyes saving measures to boost COVID-19 war chest

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

The Iloilo City government is looking to slash and redirect funds to the city’s war chest against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The move is part of the City Hall’s belt-tightening measures after Mayor Jerry Treñas intimated that the city’s coffers are affected by the pandemic.

Treñas said he already met with the Local Finance Committee to discuss economy measures.

According to the mayor, the city’s income suffered since March due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

“Our city is affected. We do not have income since March. I am worried because we still have payables and the deadline for the business taxes has been extended for several times,” he said in a press conference on Friday.

Treñas said he is concerned because the city is dependent on local taxes.

Sixty percent of the city’s total budget is sourced from the local taxes while only 40 percent is from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government.

“Ang budget ta we are not IRA dependent. Kon nubo local income ta, apektado gid ang siyudad,” he lamented.

The city’s budget for 2020 is P2.7 billion. Some P73.7 million is allocated for personnel services (salaries and benefits of employees) and P590,400,957 for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.

The five offices with the highest allocation for personnel services are the City Health Office with P139.484 million; General Services Office, P94.722 million; City Mayor’s Office, P73.791 million; Treasurer’s Office, P72.885 million and City Engineer’s Office with P60.076 million.

Treñas said they are looking at slashing capital outlay of the city and discontinue the hiring of job hires, travels, sports activities, and purchase of vehicles (except ambulance).

“We were studying tanan nga capital outlay, dulaon na ina, ang mga sports activities, and travels,” he said.

The mayor said belt-tightening measures are also anchored on the economy measures of the national government.

By Wednesday or Thursday next week, Treñas said the Local Finance Committee will finalize the economic measures to be imposed by the city government.

“They told me they will release it by next week. We need it to guide us whether we gradually open by May 1 or if we extend our enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).”

The city recently received P94 million worth from the national government under the Bayanihan Grant. The amount is equivalent to the city’s one-month IRA share.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has also passed a P291 million supplemental budget to be utilized for the city’s COVID-19 relief efforts.