Proposed 2016 budget of DSWS questioned

CEBU, Philippines - Some members of the Cebu City Council questioned the proposed budget of Department of Social Welfare and Services for next year which is bigger than that of this year.

DSWS is asking for P419.6 million for next year, bigger than this year’s P266.4 million.

Of the P419.6 million, the department proposed over P387.7 million for programs and activities, which Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Sisinio Andales, Lea Japson, and Alvin Dizon questioned since they may be used for political purposes next year.

Among the programs under DSWS are the Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situations from P5.1 million this year to P10 million for next year; self-employment assistance program from P200,000 to P5 million; nutrition program from P4.9 million to P6.8 million; persons with disabilities welfare program from P65 million to P91 million; child and youth program from zero to P22 million; day care program from P20 million to P29.2 million; 4Ps program from zero to P24 million; solo parents program from zero to P30.4 million, among others.

Andales said the DSWS should be careful since these programs can be used for political campaign next year.

“There must be zeroed in these items,” he said.

Andales said he was informed that some councilors under Team Rama were distributing free medicines under the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program.

“Let us avoid politicking because this is for the people. When it is under your office, it should be your office that will distribute it to the barangays and not councilors,” he said.

DSWS head Dr. Ester Concha said she does not know of the distribution of the medicines under CHAMP since she talked with the City Health Department.

As for the solo parents program, Osmeña said the city should not allocate the any amount under this program yet.

“It can only be effective after nine years. Section 5 of the ordinance states that qualified solo parents should have voted for three consecutive elections. And since laws should not be retroactive, this means, qualified solo parents can get their assistance in 2022 pa. So we can just scratch that,” Osmeña said.

For the self-employment assistance program, she said DSWS should ensure that livelihood programs should be used for the beneficiaries.

Concha said the livelihood programs the DSWS funds are candle-making, fish vending, sewing, rag making and capital for sari-sari stores, among others.

Further, Dizon pointed out the lack of social workers under the DSWS to help in implementing its programs.

Concha said her office has 23 social workers this year, 17 are regular employees of the city while six are casual employees.

She admitted that it is not enough to undertake the programs and other projects of the city.

Dizon said the city should get more social workers considering that it is the second largest city next to Manila.

Concha said they currently have 10 vacant positions for social workers and the number is expected to increase in a year or two since there are several workers due for retirement.

For the Operation Second Chance, the DSWS is asking P7.9 million for next year.

Concha said the facility currently houses 200 residents, which is the facility’s maximum capacity.

However, she said a lot of them are from other local government units.

“We can’t refuse because there are court orders,” she said, adding that other cities like Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay are starting to construct their own facility.

She said the city currently budgets P50 per day for meals of the facility’s residents. She said it’s based on the manual of operations for the OSG.

Japson said it has to be revisited since P50 is obviously not enough.

Meanwhile, the City Agriculture Department is asking P229.7 million for next year, which is higher than this year’s P16.4 million.

City Agriculturist Joelito Baclayon said this is to prepare for next year’s ill effects of El Niño phenomenon.

CAD asked for a P100 million budget for its Cebu City Upland Water Supply Project which aims to construct small water impounding facilities for farmers to store water in case of drought.

The P100 million could construct at least 30 water catchment basins to each 28 mountain barangays.

Another P103 million is being proposed for Mobile Water Truck Pump to prepare for the El Niño phenomenon next year.

Also, Baclayon said the office needs P10 million for Crop Insurance Expenses, which the city does not have for the years 2014 and 2015.

He said this will be coursed through the Cebu City Farmers Federation which has 83 primary associations and 11,000 members. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/LPM (FREEMAN)