Davao City Council OKs second supplemental budget this year

The Sangguniang Panlungsod building of Davao City. Mindanews file photo

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 November) — The Davao City Council passed on third and final reading the city’s second supplemental budget this year amounting to almost P639 million.

The P638,906,692.47 supplemental budget will be used to fund infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects under the city’s second addendum of the Local Development Investment Program (LDIP), according to Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chair of the committee on finance, ways and means, and appropriations.

The Annual Investment Program is the yearly portion of the LDIP, which defines the budget needed for all programs, activities, and projects of the local government units, including both capital expenses and regular operating costs.

“(For instance,) the City Engineer’s Office requested an amount of P18,000,000.00 for the Drainage System at Quimpo Boulevard corner Tulip Drive, up to the corner 3rd Cashew, Quimpo Boulevard, Brgy. Bucana, Talomo District. With this funding, the City Engineer’s Office intends to address and reduce the flooding issues in the area,” Ortiz said in a committee report.

The supplemental budget also funds salary increases to the city government plantilla workers, based on Department of Budget and Management memorandum circular 160 series of 2024.

It would include funding burial assistance programs to indigent senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents, amounting to P2 million.

P200 million will be utilized for Lingap beneficiaries, while P30,143,118 will be used for the city-initiated festival Pasko Fiesta which will open on November 28.

The supplemental fund consists of General Fund Proper worth P507,531,498.71 and Development Fund worth P117,756,500.00.

It will also fund the operations of public markets (P13,302,064.19), city slaughterhouses (P276,043.72), and local government-owned cemeteries (P40,585.85).

The funds for the supplemental budget came from the excess from the 2023 budget and reversion of the appropriations for the current and previous years.

Councilors Nilo Abellera, Bernard Al-ag and his brother Wilberto, and Javi Campos were absent when the city council voted on the supplemental budget on Tuesday (November 19).

Bernard Al-ag voted against the first supplemental budget worth P2.2 billion, due to the “excessive CSWDO’s capacity-building allocation,” although he did not object to the other budget items, including the government workers’ gratuity pays.

Fifteen members of the city council voted in favor of the first supplemental budget during its third and final reading on August 13. Only Al-ag voted against the measure, while Abellera abstained.

Abellera, Campos and the Al-ag brothers are former members of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod formed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022. They were removed from the party for “violating” party discipline. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)