27 Jun Mayor Oscar Moreno Issued a veto to Reject the Recently Approved P2.46 Billion Budget for 2016
On Friday, June 24, Mayor Oscar Moreno issued a veto to reject the recently approved P2.46 billion city budget for 2016 and pushes his previously proposed and rejected budget of P4.8 billion.
It needs 12 votes in favor of Moreno’s appeal to make the veto in effect. The submitted 21-page veto letter by Moreno stated that the sole purpose of te 49% reduction of the city’s budget is to derail his functionality as Mayor.
The city council did not act on Moreno’s appeal of having a P4.8 billion budget until two weeks ago, where it has been rejected and approved a P2.46 billion budget instead.
Moreno also expressed in the letter that the rejection of his appeal and their unconventional setting of a much lower budget compared to his is an act of usurpation of the Local Finance Committee’s (LFC) power by the city council. It is said in the letter that the act will result in “reducing the amounts of appropriation of certain items in the Executive Budget that are relevant and necessary to the City Mayor’s earnest effort to deliver without delay the needed basic services to the people.”
Moreno also attacked the ordinance, saying that it “is designed to force the city mayor to be subservient to the sanggunian and in the process submit to its whims and caprices.”
Yet, Majority floor leader Ramon Tabor did not agree to Moreno. He said, “Kaya ba nato ni nga budget? I could not see how we could get collection and revenue to support the budget.”
He also added, “This situation is an offshoot of the lack of trust. Honestly, the budget should be attainable and not bloated. I just hope the new vice mayor will be able to bridge the indifference.”
With all of these talks, Moreno need to sought after the 12 votes minimum to have his veto accepted. In the recently-concluded May 2016 elections, Moreno’s camp (Liberal Party) won 7 seats including the Vice Mayor, PaDayon Pilipino has eight, and Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) has two.
Both winning CDP candidates, re-electionist Councilors Teodolfo Lao, Jr and Enrico Salcedo have renewed their support on Moreno. PaDayon members Edna Dahino and councilor-elect Suzette Magtajas-Daba also stated that their support is on Moreno.
“More PaDayon members may be crossing the bridge,” said a senior City Hall official who chooses not be named.
With Lao, Salcedo, Dahino, and Magtajas-Daba, Moreno will have 11 votes on his stead. One more vote to have his appeal accepted, and he is optimistic that more PaDayon members will jump ship to support his administration before July 1.
Moreno did not go softly to this issue. He could have let the 2016 budget pass by and wait for the next city council. Yet the senior City Hall Official said, “But that is not his nature to tolerate abuse of power and blatantly illegal acts. He doesn’t settle for political expediency.”
It’s less than a week to go whether Moreno’s veto will be accepted, this remains to be seen.
What are your thoughts on this current issue in our city?
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