LONG OVERDUE PER DBM/DILG

THE Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod, in a special session on February 3, passed a resolution asking Mayor Brian Lim to submit the city’s Devolution Transition Plan (DTP) for its review and action as required by a joint memorandum circular of the Department Budget and Management and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The resolution proposed by Councilor Luis Samson Jr., took note of JMC 2001-1 that required LGUs to submit their respective DTPs in preparation of the receipt by LGU Dagupan of a windfall of money of more that P300 million that will come from the national government as provided for in the implementation of the Mandanas ruling of the Supreme Court that gave LGUs more shares of all collected taxes.

Supported by eight councilors, two objecting and two failing to vote, the resolution called on the mayor to comply to facilitate the deliberation of the 2022 annual city budget of Dagupan City, although the deadline for submission of such document was due December 12, 2021.

In their nominal voting, it can be gleaned that the majority members of the city council would just like to protect the windfall coming from being misspent.

Councilor Jose Tamayo said the people of Dagupan should know the more than P300 million additional Internal Revenue Allotment of Dagupan will be spent.

Councilor and Majority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez, co-author of the resolution, said the city government must be fully transparent in identifying the services which is why the DTP has to be submitted to the SP for review.

His opinion was shared by Councilors Dennis Canto, Karlos Reyna, Marvin Fabia and Joshua Bugayong.

Earlier Councilor Marcelino Fernandez, president of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay, said all the 31 barangays of the city already submitted respective DTPs to City DILG Director Marlyn Laguipo. In case of the DPT of city, City Planning and Development Coordinator James’s Fernandez admitted that they are still in the process of completing its DTPs in view its larger scope and coverage.

Councilor Marcelino Fernandez introduced a separate resolution asking Laguipo to submit the barangay DTPs to the SP also for review.

Councilor Librada Reyna, supported by Councilor Cisco Flores, opined that the DTPs must be submitted for review by DILG and not to the SP but Councilor Michael Fernandez cited Executive No.188 of President Rodrigo that Duterte required the submission of the DPT to the SP. (Leonardo Micua)

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