Bacolod City – Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said they still have enough budget to push the programs they intend to do particularly their 108-point agenda which they plan to implement in their first 100 days in office.
The mayor’s pronouncement contradicted an earlier statement issued by his spokesman Lyzander Dilag who said that only ₱ 153 million is left of the ₱ 3.5 annual budget of Bacolod City for 2022.
Dilag said the new administration will need to stretch the remaining budget until the end of the year, while the ad hoc Good Governance Committee will look into the financial status of the city.
Benitez said the city’s budget is not depleted. The amount of ₱ 78,445,475.28 left of the City Mayor’s Office is for general services for job order casual employees.
They are still in the process of determining how many job order casuals should be hired and what positions are needed. That is the time they will be hiring casuals for the position, he said.
DRRMO HEADS EOC TASK FORCE
Meanwhile, Benitez issued Executive Order No. 005 streamlining the function of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Task Force by transferring to and designating the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), to spearhead the COVID-19 response for the City of Bacolod.
The order provides for the creation of the COVID-19 Action Team composed of the mayor as chairman, DRRMO head Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan – vice chair/focal person, and members composed of City Health Officer Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli, Department of Social Services and Development head Pacita Tero, MITCS head Ramon de.los Reyes and Public Information Officer Agnes Lira-Jundos. (Chrysee Semillan via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)