In a special session held last Thursday, the Baguo City Council approved the request of the executive body for a supplemental budget in the amount of P94.29 million to augment the dwindling funds of the city for its COVID-19 operations.
The amount can be sourced out by realigning appropriations earmarked for the city’s programs and projects that remain unimplemented. The Local Finance Committee has issued a certificate of availability of appropriations for the realignment.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in his letter to the city council, said this amount will be used for the city’s COVID-19 operations which is a “priority.”
“With the continuing rise of COVID-19 cases in our city and the seemingly unending threat of various variants of concern, we have to intensify our COVID-10 responses outlined in our resiliency and contingency plans,” he stressed in his letter.
The mayor explained the local government is currently focused on identifying additional isolation and COVID-19 facilities to address the city’s increasing demand for more facilities due to the continuing surge in new COVID-19 cases.
The city also continues to bolster its vaccination campaign in order to reach the target population and attain herd immunity before the year ends, he added.
All these efforts, according to the chief executive, need financial support.
Specified projects to be funded by the 94-M supplemental budget are the following:
Maintenance of the two isolation facilities, Sto. Nino Hospital (P18,143,761.00) and Baguio Teacher’s Camp (P16,714,494.00); contact tracing operations (P20,287,656.00); Baguio Convention Center Triage (P13,415,248.00); COVID-19 vaccine roll out activity (P20,635,316.00); protecting and shielding the vulnerable population (P4,338,600.00), strengthening the conduct of mass testing to constituents (P400,000.00); mental health care and wellness program (P201,450.00); and strengthening the Emergency Operation Center/One Hospital Command Center (P162,864.00).
Due to the urgency of the matter, the requested supplemental budget was approved by the council. However, the Local Finance Committee and the City Health Services Office were requested to attend the council’s regular session on October 18, 2021 to answer questions raised by the council members regarding the appropriated amount and to clarify the council members’ concerns regarding the city’s COVID-19 operations. Jordan Habbiling/Baguio City Council PIO
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