The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Tagbilaran City approved on third and final reading today a P27.6-million supplemental budget.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Adam Jala, was passed during the SP’s regular session to fund “cabling requirements” of the new City Hall and wages for casual and job order workers of the city.

According to Vice Mayor Jose “Toto” Veloso, SP presiding officer, none of the city councilors moved against the approval of the ordinance, particularly the release of employee wages.

Prior to the approval, however, other city lawmakers questioned the need for the hastened passing of the ordinance even without undergoing a thorough study.

Some of the councilors raised questions regarding the urgent need to have the budget for cabling requirements approved.

Veloso said that the legislators also questioned the delay in transfer of operations to the new building despite the approval of a previous multi-million supplemental budget, noting that the City Engineering Office should provide an explanation.

This reportedly led to a debate between councilor Dodong Polinar and Jala causing a split in council votes on whether further expenses of the new City Hall will be included in the supplemental budget.

Following the verbal tussle, most of the councilors, however, still voted in favor of the ordinance’s approval.

Veloso noted that before the total rehabilitation of the City Hall, a P13.8-million supplemental budget had already been approved by the SP for the purchase of furniture and fixtures.

This was also followed by the approval of another supplemental budget which was used to fund other City Hall needs.

Veloso said that he and some of the councilors have received information noting that the city government will start to move to the new building this month. (Allen Doydora) 

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