THE 20th Council approved on third and final reading Supplemental Budget No. 2 (SB2), amounting to around P600 million for the City Government of Davao for 2024 on Tuesday morning, November 20, 2024, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Davao City Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chairperson of the committee on finance, ways and means, and appropriations and proponent of the resolution, said of the P638,906,692.47, the general fund will be earmarked with P507,531,498.71, while P117,756,500 for the Development Fund. For the operations of the Economic Enterprises, an amount of P13,618,693.76 is allotted.
Of the over P13 million appropriated for the Economic Enterprises, P13,302,064.19 is appropriated for market operations, P276,043.72 will be for the operation of slaughterhouses, and P40,585.85 is for the operation of cemeteries.
“One of the highlights sa atoang SB2 na mga appropriations is, first, katong mga salary increase ng mga plantilla personnel (One of the highlights of our SB2 appropriations is, first, the salary increase of the plantilla personnel),” Dalodo-Ortiz said during the Aprubado sa Konseho on the same day.
She added that there was a memorandum circular from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) stating that there should be an increase in the salary of plantilla personnel and that all offices with plantilla personnel would receive their appropriation within their respective offices. The approved fund for the salary increase is around P125 million. Unlike the previous supplemental budget, this amount will be allocated in a lump sum and will only be appropriated for the city government.
In addition, the office would have an augmentation worth P200 million for burial assistance programs for indigent senior citizens, persons with Disability (PWD), solo parents, and other marginalized sectors. She said the fund would be used until the end of the year.
Aside from the burial assistance, the LGU appropriated around P200 million to augment the Lingap Program of the city. This will enable the city government to provide financial support to Dabawenyos in need.
The city also appropriated around P30,143,118 for the Pasko Fiesta celebration, a yearly program of the city government, which was requested by the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO).
Meanwhile, the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) has requested around P18 million for the drainage system at Quimpo Boulevard, corner of Tulip Drive, up to the corner of 3rd Cashew, Quimpo Boulevard, Barangay Bucana, Talomo District. The office aims to utilize the funds to reduce flooding issues in these areas.
The amount of P638,906,692.47 was funded from the surplus of the 2023 operations and the reversion of appropriations from the current and prior years.
Ortiz said that her committee is working on Supplemental Budget No. 3 (SB3), which will be forwarded this week or next week. She added that their office is continuously conducting hearings for the Annual Budget for the year 2025, together with SB2 and SB3. RGP
