Davao City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang (Medel V. Hernani/davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The City Council approved on second reading the proposed P6,936,060,415 billion general fund annual budget for next year.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, the committee head for finance, said the annual budget for 2017 will be funded by revenues and income from the city’s share in the Internal Revenue Allotment, revenues from local sources and receipts from economic enterprises.
The proposed general fund for next year covers the annual budget for the economic enterprises for the operation of markets, operation of slaughterhouse, operation of the City’s Overland Transport Terminal, operation of Sta. Ana port, operation of Davao City Recreation Center, operation of Magsaysay park, operation of cemeteries, operation of pasalubong center and the annual development fund.
During the special session of the city council, Dayanghirang showed that for 2016, the city accumulated P2,641,755 million from local taxes, fees, permits and license, service, business and other income.
In economic enterprises, the city got P138 million income from market, slaughterhouse, DCOTT, Sta. Ana port, DCRC, Magsaysay park, cemeteries and pasalubong center while the city got P4, 166, 576, 989 billion as the internal revenue allotment.
Some councilors, however, questioned the P36 million proposed budget of the maintenance of 63 signal lights in the city.
Michael Masipag, operations manager of Abratique company, said the maintenance of signal lights only cost P6 million and not P36 million.
“We have noticed that the company is only asking for P6 million so they said that some will be use for the other maintenance,” he said.
He added the proposed budget should follow the specific appropriation of the purpose of the budget to know where the money will be spent.
Abratique company is the contractor of the traffic signal lights in the city since 2007.
After the amendment, Dayanghirang said the third and final reading for the 2017 annual budget will be on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
Meanwhile, Councilors are still waiting on the proposed budget for the Christmas bonus of the government employees. Dayanghirang is positive that City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will give its Christmas bonus for the employees.
“We have not yet closed the book of accounts this year, and the accountant said that they will close it on Dec. 28, so I’m very sure that the mayor now is talking to the treasurer already,” he said.
Aside from the P6.9 billion, the city will also receive the P41 billion from the national budget in 2017. (davaotoday.com)
