True to his outspoken nature, City Mayor Dan Neri Lim castigated yesterday fresh attempts by critics to undermine his capacity to manage the city's finances through the 2011 city budget. Trust instead of disbelief, thus declared Mayor Lim. The city mayor yesterday made these remarks before his weekly radio audience as he urged city residents to be more positive in their perspective as critics pounced on the budget increase for 2011. “Let us not prejudge the budget simply because it is more than the budget of the previous years,” the mayor asked city residents. He said that while the fresh attempts from his usual critics did not surprise him, he is asking those who might be misled by the critics to look at it closely. “While it has already been approved by the (city council), it will still go through the usual auditing procedures,” the mayor noted.
In addition to that, he said that he will ask for specific approval for specific expenses to ensure that there is transparency in all projects. “Just because the amount involve is bigger does not mean there is something irregular,” he added. Lim reminded residents that when he assumed office in 2004, he introduced pro-people projects such as the free school uniforms and supplies to elementary public school pupils, free hospitalization to indigents and assistance to senior citizens “with practically the same budget”. “It means that virtually the same budget as those of my predecessors that were not accounted for,” he added. The mayor also pointed out that he reduced the number of casual employees and abolished many vacant positions considered redundant because he wanted to cut down costs.
“If there is any one who has proven that he knows how to spend money wisely, it is my administration,” Lim added. The mayor said that while city residents have experienced many first-time projects in his first two terms, this should not be reason to be contented. He pointed out that there are still other projects that need to be completed such as the road improvement projects, the drainage project, street lighting, solid waste and other projects that must be aggressively pursued. “If we do not address them now, they will come to haunt us in the years to come,” he warned. He pointed out that the instant flooding in many streets today is a result of the neglect of previous years when there was no over-all plan for a drainage system.
Lim also reminded residents that there is no time to waste if the city intends to make up for the lost years. “We must move forward, and the only way to do that is to invest,” the mayor pointed out. Lim added that investment of course requires additional spending which is why the budget was increased to make allowances. “We need to invest not only on infrastructure but also in revenue-generating projects if we intend to survive,” he added. The mayor said that considering the challenge poised by rising costs and dwindling revenues will make it difficult for the city to make ends meet. “The government must be competitive because the market forces will run us down if we don't,” Lim warned.
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