Council wants update on use of Pagcor funds

CEBU, Philippines - Councilor Alvin Arcilla made the motion after observing that in yesterday’s regular session alone, P6.2 million worth of projects were endorsed to the Council while the P1.3 million he requested last March 18 for a vehicle for barangay Talamban has not been released.

Aside from Arcilla’s P1.3 million requests, there are several prior requests also approved by the Office of the Mayor.

The Council said the mayor might be giving the barangays false hope by approving the projects to be funded using Pagcor funds, yet there is really no enough budget to cover all of it.

The City Government receives a share of about P4 million monthly from Pagcor.

The endorsements for Pagcor funding that reached the council yesterday included funding requests for the purchase of scaffoldings and chairs for the barangays, plastic drums, water hose and construction of communal toilets, all totaling P6.2 million.

The council moved to ask the City Budget Officer for the remaining balance of the Pagcor funds as of this month. They also want to ask Mayor Michael Rama for the list of projects prioritized for Pagcor funds and how the latter is doing the prioritization.

The Council said that the list of prioritized projects as compared to those that were less prioritized will guide them on what projects to be included in the annual budget.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that the council should not be asking his office for the list because all requests for the use of Pagcor Funds pass through the Council.

“It means that their recording is lousy,” Rama said. Rama said that the council’s job is only to request while prioritization is upon his discretion.

“To know the remaining balance is no longer their problem. I am asking them to just submit their request and I will approve those that are consistent with our thrust and direction,” Rama said.

He said that the Council does not need to ask how he is prioritizing the projects because the use of Pagcor funds has guidelines that all of them were informed about.

“Prioritization emanates from the office of the mayor. If they want to have a say on prioritization, they need to remember that they have to become mayor first,” he said. – (FREEMAN)