To ‘cure defect’ found by COA: Council OKs P800M aid to 61 barangays

CEBU, Philippines - To remedy the notice of disallowance issued by the Commission on Audit, the Cebu City Council, through its four remaining members, has ratified the release of financial aid to 61 out of 80 barangays.

In its latest regular session, the City Council approved the resolution of councilors Phillip Zafra and James Anthony Cuenco involving the P800 million disallowed by COA.

 "To confirm and affirm that the disbursements from Account No. 1999-3-874-001-007 Aid to City Barangays - Financial Assistance for Various Projects in the year 2015 are within the ambit of City Appropriation Ordinance No. 2417," the resolution read.

City Ordinance 2417 covered the P13.4-billion annual budget of the city government last year.

Cuenco said the resolution is needed to "cure the defect" found by COA in the release of the P800 million.

"It's only to ratify because according to member Zafra, last time, gi-question kay wala gi-ratify sa council. And so, it's just to cure the defect.

So, we're just ratifying what was originally discussed," he said, adding that they are hopeful that the COA will not declare the disallowance as final and executory.

In the resolution, Zafra and Cuenco said Section 5 (Non-Office General Services Office) of the budget ordinance last year provided that the barangay will submit their deve-lopment plan and should be approved by the City Council.

However, outgoing mayor Michael Rama registered his veto on certain provisions of the budget ordinance set by the City Council, including the conditions of the release of the P800-million aid.

With the veto, Zafra and Cuenco believed that the prior approval of the City Council in releasing the aid had no legal effect.

Acting Vice Mayor Lea Japson, the only remaining councilor under Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, said she wanted to disapprove the resolution of the Team Rama councilors but cannot do so since she was the presiding officer.

Japson questioned the resolution since it only covers 61 out of the 80 barangays in the city. These 61 barangays, she said, are allied with Team Rama.

"Nganong Team Rama ra man g'yud ang gi-cover?" she remarked.

Further, Japson said the resolution has no bearing with COA's disallowance since it was stated in the notice that the P800 million should be released with the approval of the City Council.

"There is no bearing with that resolution kay the budget ordinance states that before releasing, we will approve the POWE (program of works and estimates) and the resolution here is to confirm and reaffirm the budget lang," she said.

"Bisag unsa pa, gi-cure na unta 'to before the disallowance," she added.

She said the barangays are entitled to refund the amount because it was disallowed by COA.

Zafra, who heads the city's Association of Barangay Councils, refused to give any comment.

Sought for comment, incoming mayor Tomas Osmeña said the barangays suffer because of the disallowance.

When asked if he would continue giving aid to barangays, he said he will stop doing "the illegal practices" of his political archnemesis.

He was overheard saying that he will continue the aid to the barangays but only those which are allied with BOPK. (FREEMAN)