THE Cebu City Council has approved the P1.61 billion supplementary budget (SB) on Thursday, March 2, 2022.A big chunk of the amount or P868 million will be used to offset the debt repayment for the South Road Properties (SRP) while P400 million will be used as financial aid to Typhoon Odette (Rai) victims.The budget ordinance was passed despite the call of some members of the City Council to defer its passage until they have fully scrutinized all items in the additional budget requested by Mayor Michael Rama.Majority Floor Leader Raymond Alvin Garcia explained that the City Council could no longer wait another week for the approval of the SB 1 because thousands of residents whose houses were damaged by Typhoon Odette still have to receive assistance from the City.Typhoon Odette hit Cebu last Dec. 16, 2021.The budget ordinance was authored by Garcia.Garcia said 10 councilors favored its approval, two abstained and two voted against it.The councilors who abstained were Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Jessica Resch and Joy Augustus Young while those who opposed the passage were Alvin Dizon and minority floor leader Nestor Archival.Those who voted in favor were Eugenio Gabuya Jr. and Lea Japson who are members of the opposition Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) and administration councilors Joel Garganera, James Cuenco, Jerry Guardo, Niña Mabatid, Joy Pesquera and Eduardo Rama.Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong and Councilor Raul Alcoseba were no longer in the session during the voting.Archival did not want to pass supplemental budget immediately and just wanted to defer its approval saying they still wanted to thoroughly scrutinize the items contained in the additional funds requested by Rama.Pesquera for her part said council members have been given the opportunity to attend the budget hearings.The P400 million to be used as aid to typhoon victims will be given in cash at P5,000 each for families who have lost their homes.About P100,000 was also allotted for Cebu City residents aged 80 years old and above and P13 million for senior citizens who were not able to receive the City’s aid in the last quarter of 2021.Under the approved budget, P64.5 million will be used as Charter Day bonus for Cebu City Government employees amounting to P10,000 each for all casual and regular employees.Dizon said while he is not against the passage of the budget per se, he will not accept the P10,000 bonus as the multi-million amount should have been given to the needy who lost their jobs or were affected by the typhoon.