Moreno’s Veto Failed to be Override by the City Council

28 Jun Moreno’s Veto Failed to be Override by the City Council

On Monday, June 27, during the last session of the 17th City Council at Sangguniang Panglungsod session hall, the city council failed to override Mayor Oscar Moreno’s veto message.

Vice Mayor Cesar Ian Acenas stated that an override is not needed since he signed the official executive budget and only opened up a particular issue in the approved appropriation ordinance.

What was needed to override Moreno’s veto was to muster 12 votes supporting it.

Acenas said, “Ihatag na lang nato kini nga privilege to the next members of the city council. Amo lang nga gikatingad-an kay gipermahan sa mayor ang general appropriations unlike before the time that we initially approved the 2016 Executive Budget.”

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.

“Considered approved na siguro para sa ila kay wala naman pud sila’y mahimo because the next 18th members of the city council will surely favor the administration of Moreno. Pwede man permi maka-file for supplemental budget and surely approved na pirmi,” city councilor Zaldy Ocon added.

One of the provisions that Moreno questioned was the zero budget for PhilHealth Indigency Program.

His proposed budget for this is at P240 million, but to lessen it to zero seems unreasonable for him. He said that its reduction is “huge, inexplicable, arbitrary and ill-motivated.”

Moreno emphasized, “The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people.”

“That the program shall be compulsory in all provinces, cities and municipalities nationwide, notwithstanding the existence of LGU-based health insurance programs,” he added.

Majority Floor Leader Ramon Tabor said on Moreno’s statement, he said, “He signed og igo lamang kadto siya gapahungaw sa iyang gibati.”

Tabor said that the P2.46 Billion Budget Ordinance has been submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for review and then implementation.

“Only the income and few provisions were being vetoed and Moreno can re-submit this during the next members of the city council,” said Tabor.

Despite the lesser approved budget, subsequent supplemental budgets can be filed to restore deleted and reduced items through a formal request, said City Budget Officer lawyer Percy Salazar.