The local government unit of Dumaguete City has more than P255 million in bank deposits and is not cash-strapped as feared by many.
Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria on Friday presented a summary statement as of July 31, 2014 from the City Treasurer’s Office that shows the Dumaguete local government has a total of P255,909,918.65 million deposited in different banks within the city.
The mayor showed the summary statement to prove the city is not lacking in sufficient money for its expenditures amid public speculation the Dumaguete government was going “bankrupt”.
Councilor Antonio Remollo had told reporters that the Local Finance Committee be invited to the next regular session of the city council to shed light on the true current financial status of the city.
This, after several city employees clamored for the delay in the release of their loyalty pay.
Also, some employees holding casual-plantilla positions were reportedly not paid their wages on time with some of them having received their salaries for the second half of July only this week.
City Administrator William Ablong disclosed in a telephone interview Friday that the delay in the release of loyalty awards was caused by the reconstruction of the list of employees qualified for the said incentive.
According to him, some city government workers had also claimed to be qualified for the loyalty award and as such, the city had to go through the same process all over again.
But he assured that the loyalty awards will be released next week. He did not mention, though, how many were qualified for it.
Meanwhile, on the delayed salaries of casual plantilla workers, Ablong admitted there were some technicalities with the Commission on Audit.
The salaries of some casual plantilla workers, which used to be charged to the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, had to be transferred to the lump sum appropriation, he explained.
The city council in its regular session on Thursday approved a request for the same in accordance with the COA guideline and so as not to further delay the payment of wages for the city’s casual workers, Ablong added. (PNA)
