For stalling fund for religious play, mayor michael rama says "council is ‘stricter but dumber"

[godgavemeyou]

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By Jujemay G. Awit

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
THE name-calling has started at the Cebu City Hall barely two weeks before the start of the local campaign period.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama described the City Council as “stricter but dumber” for not approving the P475,000-budget for Buhing Kalbaryo to be charged under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) fund.
The 16th Buhing Kalbaryo is held every Good Friday, which will be on Mar.a 29.
“It is an error of the Council. It is as if one of the councilors is not a member of the Cebu City Tourism Council,” Rama told reporters yesterday.
Councilor Margarita Osmeña, as head of the committee on budget and finance, pointed out earlier that religious activities are not included in the guidelines on the use of the Pagcor fund.
Addendum
Osmeña is also a member of the tourism council.
Rama said funds for both Pasko sa V. Rama and Buhing Kalbaryo, both religious activities, have been put in place for years in an addendum made during the time of Alice Reyes, who chaired Pagcor between 1986 and 2001.
The mayor said he visited Reyes to have “arts and culture” activities included in the Pagcor funds after realizing that the guidelines omitted such events.
When asked by reporters to show the guidelines and the addendum, Rama said his former executive assistant has them. “I have not lost my memory,” he stressed.
The guidelines that Osmeña cited were issued by Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Christino Naguiat Jr. in September 2012.
“He has been calling us every name in the book. It's up to him, he's the mayor. He can push through with it but he (will have to) take the consequence,” Osmeña told Sun.Star Cebu.
Changed
She said she does not know what the consequences are if Rama pushes through and charge the Buhing Kalbaryo expenses on the Pagcor funds.
“I was asked to make a committee report and I made one based on the new Pagcor guidelines. The guidelines have been changed,” said Osmeña.
Osmeña recommended that the City Accounting Office be asked to clarify where the budget for religious activities can be charged.
Rama believes that the guidelines, including the addendum, can only be changed when the law governing Pagcor has changed as well.
Rama also believes that the City Accounting Office has no hand in the charging of accounts under Pagcor.
“Sometimes they don't know what they are doing. They have become stricter and dumber,” said Rama.
Osmeña’s report said the City’s P4-million Pagcor funds can be used for health care, self-sustainable livelihood projects, scholarships and infrastructure projects essential to the community.








- Is it really necessary for us to spend more on activites like buhing kalbaryo?, If im not wrong the holy week is intended for us to repent our sins and heal our souls?, this should be a period of recollection not for tourism and happy-happy?. Instead of using the funds for one day usage?, why don't the mayor use the funds to a more essential project like improving the health care delivery system? (Long - Term). For me God wants us to celebrate the holy week with him by praying, doing good things to others, being humble and thankful to him for the blessings that we receive day by day. (Prayer is one way of communicating and saying thanks to our Lord God) -

[godgavemeyou]

atong ipataas

[Renz8]

Aw gusto man mo gasto si Mayor Rama sa dili iya kwarta kay mo salida man sya ug apil in aid of re election he he he.....hay mas maayo Mayor if emo na lang kwarta nga P475K ang e donate ngadto sa Buhing Kalbaryo mas mo bilib pa mi nmo?

[<SMILE>]

The holy week can still be observed
without that funds, funny how the city
council makes money from this solemn religious
affair by promoting tourism.

[godgavemeyou]

Lord Heal our Land and turn our nation Back to you...

[godgavemeyou]

We can celebrate the holyweek through reflection.