Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco yesterday said they are also observing austerity measures because of the reduction in the Internal Revenue Allotment, but will definitely not retrench casual government employees unless they are not performing their jobs.

The IRA reduction for Kabankalan City is P38.8 million. “We looked at the reduced budget percentage-wise and made the same cutback on the budget allocation for all departments to balance the expenses,” Zayco said.

He also asked all government employees to take austerity measures on their travels, gasoline consumption, and office supplies.

“We will only lessen expenses on unnecessary things, unless, an employee is not performing his job, but there will be no hiring of government employees since all casual and contractual workers are on status quo” he said.

Zayco also said the city prepared to become a tourism attraction of the south since foreigners are coming in and out of the province.

Asked when Kabankalan will become a highly urbanized city, he said, it is only when they reach the population requirement of 250,000, because they will surely pass the income requirement. Currently the city has around 200,000 residents, he added.

Meanwhile, the leveling of the airport runway has been delayed due to bad weather. “We cannot move our equipment if it rains,” he said. The city is using the equipment from the city and provincial government and that of the Army’s 542nd Engineering Construction Battalion, Zayco added.

Asked if he is ready for the 2013 election, Zayco said, he is ready to run as mayor of Kabankalan City. *LTG

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