Cebu City (PNA) – The City Council here has approved the P483.8 million 2nd supplementary budget (SB) that includes funding for senior citizens and other social welfare programs.

The City Council, however, will leave it to Mayor Tomas Osmeña to decide when the P78 million financial aid will be released to the elderly, as well as the P16 million for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

As for the R6 million allocation for the city’s burial assistance program, Councilor Jose Daluz III said they will immediately release the funds to village coordinators who will implement the program.

Daluz is the chairman of the council’s committee on budget and finance.

Cebu City Administrator Francisco Fernandez said the city government will distribute the P4,000 cash assistance to the 32,000 senior citizens in February or March, before the Commission
on Elections’ (Comelec’s) ban on certain expenditures takes effect.

All PWDs residing in the city will also get P2,000 each. The financial aid, which will be coursed through the Department of Social Welfare Services, is covered by the Comelec ban.

The City Hall is also set to implement the 25 percent salary increase for all city officials, and regular and casual employees. The P98 million lump sum appropriation for the pay hike was included in SB No. 2.

Identified fund sources for the budget are the P272.57 million from the general fund proper, and P193.98 million from the special accounts of income-generating offices of the city.

Also included in the budget is the P3 million intended for the city’s medical assistance program, with the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), and “Tambal ni Mayor” getting P10 million each