Punchline
Lying and stealing in Dagupan City
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
What’s the truth about Dagupan City’s financial condition?
On one hand, an obstinate Lim administration continues to deny that the city government is bankrupt, yet and on the other, the Lim allies in the Sanggunian Panglunsod are falling over themselves trying to pass ordinances ostensibly aimed at shoring revenues for the city because they claim the city government is in dire financial strait.
Is the Lim administration constantly lying to its constituents to cover up some anomalies in the past or are the onor-onors in the city council simply creating “income” opportunities for themselves?
Where things stand today, both casually issue self-serving statements leaving the Dagupan taxpayers on the receiving end.
Loloko-en da la lamet so totoo.
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CASH-STRAPPED STORY. Take the parking ordinance that the city councilors keep resurrecting (that finally found its mark last week).
While the city’s treasurer, budget officer and accountant have persistently
denied that the city is cash-strapped or suffering from a deficit, Councilor Chito Samson has been shouting to the heavens that the city is cash-strapped. So will you please implement the parking ordinance?
Well, the implementing rules for the ordinance were finally adopted last week lending credence to his claim. But note, through it all, there was nary a pipsqueak from either of the city’s financial trio to refute Mr. Samson’s claim.
But expect three finance officials to re-stage their sing-and-dance routine denying the red ink on the city’s bottomline financial figures on or about November when the reports on the city’s budget deficit is again leaked to the PUNCH.
But by that time, the parking racket shall have been proven to be a good cash-cow for the more enterprising among our city officials. The “cash-strapped” story shall have already served its purpose…until the next opportunity arises.
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FROM MALADY TO OPPORTUNITY. But now that the onor-onors finally sewed up the parking racket, it’s time for some out-of-the-box ideas to turn this malady into an opportunity.
Firstly, it’s unfortunate that the onor-onors did not find merit in Councilor Joey Tamayo’s objections to the ordinance. Imposing parking fees at a time when everyone is looking for cheaper means to operate a business and/or to shop for basic items is a no-brainer.
Given a choice, no one wants to go to a place where one has to pay a fee when one can get equally good service or product outside of the city and not pay for parking…and they are now aplenty in the province.
To avert this negative reaction that will surely impact on Dagupan’s economy, an amendment should be introduced allowing all motorists to be entitled to a 30-minute discount! This means, shoppers and motorists who think they can do their thing within 30 minutes need not pay any!
This policy will not only encourage motorists to continue spending their money in the city but do their business quickly at no additional costs and still allow more to use the parking spaces and improve patronage of stores in the area.
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The suggestion of Councilor Alex de Venecia limiting choices of contractors to a Dagupan-based contractor, employing only residents of barangays covered by the ordinance, is a step in the right direction.
However, in the face of an impending expensive reorganization scheme in the city, the designation of a private contractor should be suspended and allow the city government, particularly the Public Order and Safety Office, to implement the parking ordinance.
The parking crew can be composed of city hall employees who face being terminated for lack of qualification. This alternative will enable the city government to raise the funds it doesn’t have to implement the reorganization and still keep the bureaucracy operating at maximum levels.
In other words, suspend the “happy days” for the city officials and make the parking ordinance work for the city’s benefit.
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STILL NO ACCOUNTING OF FUNDS. It’s now more that 30 days since Dagupan City Councilor Nic Aquino announced his self-imposed deadline for the submission of his accountability for the management of the 2004 Fiesta and 2006 Bangus Festival, but nothing appears to be forthcoming.
Our mole inside the city hall has told us that the report will never be submitted because Mayor Benjie Lim refuses to have the funds accounted for. It appears, Mr. Lim may have really dipped his fingers into it and Mr. Aquino was given strict instructions not to let the public know more than what he has already reported – meaning nothing!
So, perhaps we should give full credit to Mayor Lim for the unaccounted funds in both the 2004 Fiesta and 2006 Bangus Festival. Given this, Dagupenos cannot understand how Mr. Lim was recently cited by the Jose Rizal Awards for Excellence in governance. Tsk-tsk.
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Now comes Councilor Librada Reyna as the next Hermana Mayor for the 2006 Dagupan City Fiesta.
She has already promised a fiesta affair unequalled in the past. Great!
But I just wonder how she can accomplish this when I suspect she won’t be getting as much support from the city’s traditional corporate and individual supporters. Not after learning about the adamant refusal of Mayor Lim and Mr. Aquino to account to the public all the monies and materials they received in the past city fiesta and Bangus Festival chaired by Mr. Lim’s reliable sidekick.
To this day, these sponsors cannot but wonder how much was spent legitimately and how much was pocketed. Fortunately for Ms. Reyna, her predecessor Councilor Alex de Venecia had seen to fully account for all the monies he received… this might help mitigate the impression of rampant corruption in the management of fiesta funds… might!
But it can also help her case if she will already pledge this early to account for the funds she will get from sponsors. Until then, she will remain suspect.
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CONGRATULATIONS. To Dagupan Police chief Edgar Basbas for earning a citation for his command as the best police station in community relations. It certainly is not easy having to deal with a community that normally complains a lot but does little else. The organizations that supported the Bantay Dagupan deserve a pat on the back as well.
To Calasiao Police chief Policario Caybayab whose leadership continues to be recognized by his own peers.
Belated greetings to the choir groups of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Calasiao and the University of Pangasinan for their outstanding performances that won recognition for themselves and the institutions they represented.
To the Dagupan City government for having done its homework preparing the city for the rainy season resulting in manageable and minimal flooding in the city.
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