TWO committees of the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will seek the endorsement on Tuesday of an ordinance seeking the realignment of P27 million from part of the funds allocated by the past city administration for the Maternal Child Care and Lying-in Hospital.

The realignment was proposed by the City Development Council (CDC), made up mostly of representatives of non-government organizations and private groups, for other projects deemed urgent and more necessary.

These projects include the purchase of dump trucks, rehabilitation of existing material recovery facility (MRF) in 26 barangays, construction of three covered courts at the East Central Elementary School, North Central Elementary School and Bonuan Boquig National High School, and 10-classroom two-storey school building at the Carael Elementary School.

The committee on finance and committee on laws and ordinances conducted a hearing last Friday that was attended by City Planning and Development Coordinator Romeo Rosario, Acting Budget Officer Luz de Guzman and members of the CDC.

Mayor Belen Fernandez, who earlier announced that she does not intend to continue the hospital project initiated by the previous administration, endorsed the proposal.

Fernandez cited the refusal of the Department of Education to transfer the Juan P. Guadiz Elementary School to give way to the hospital as her main argument in support of the measure.

She also cited the redundancy of the project considering the P6 billion expansion work being undertaken at the Dagupan-based Region 1 Medical Center.

“The maternal lying-in clinic would just be a waste of money since Congresswoman (Gina) De Venecia is bringing anyway an 11-storey hospital in Dagupan,” said Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo who was present during the Friday hearing.

OTHER FUNDS

The P27 million proposed for realignment will be sourced from the P37 million allocated by the past city administration to the lying-in hospital.

Of the total, P7 million was a trust fund extended by the national government through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“The realignment for the P7 million trust fund should be addressed to the DILG Secretary Mar Roxas,” Rosario said.

Another P2. 5 million, according to Rosario, was already withdrawn by A.S.S. Construction (owned by Robert Sison) as mobilization fee for the design and construction of the hospital.

Councilor Jeslito Seen, chairman on the committee on finance and the only other councilor present during the hearing, said he will ask the SP to conduct an inquiry on the contractor.

“We will look for the contract and see if we can still get back the P2.5 million since no work has been started. We can use the money for more services to the people,” said Seen.

He added that he will submit the committee report to the SP plenary on Tuesday.–Dada Martin Austria 

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