Pasig City mayor says P3B savings a challenge, not an accomplishment

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto stated that the city's P3 billion in "savings" should not be viewed as an accomplishment, but rather as a challenge to spend the funds more effectively for the benefit of the citizens and the economy.

Sotto emphasized that government "surplus" or "savings" signifies a failure to deploy resources to aid the populace and stimulate economic growth.

The substantial savings were attributed to significant reforms implemented in the city's procurement processes, which led to reduced project costs.

These reforms involved strict bidding procedures and the eradication of kickbacks, enabling projects to be completed at significantly lower prices than before.

Additionally, the local government's limited absorptive capacity contributed to the savings, as spending on social services, salaries, and infrastructure did not fully match the rapid increase in the city's budget over the past five years.