JUST when the Sangguniang Panlungsod finally adopted Supplemental AIP 1, the majority members again tried to play the same card to delay the passage of the resubmitted 2023 in plenary session on first reading.

But the effort to refer the resubmitted P1.3 billion budget again to the committee, headed by Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia, was thwarted after the Minority Leader Councilor Michael Fernandez reminded the majority members that the resubmitted budget was already fully discussed when the latter decided to approve instead its P864. 9 million proposal, the budget that was declared “inoperative in its entirety.”

Fernandez told the majority members that there was no more need to bring the re-submitted budget before the committee level because this was already discussed lengthily  before them by the department heads.

Subsequently, without any objection from the majority members, the move of the minority  to discuss the resubmitted 2023 annual city budget in plenary finally succeeded.

In talks during the KBP Forum-Pangasinan chapter on Thursday, Councilor Fernandez said all councilors will be given a chance to speak about the budget, a situation that bodes well for the minority.

Councilors Jeslito Seen and Dennis Canto said the resubmitted budget will finally get a fair chance to be passed during the plenary.

Fernandez said Councilor Erfe-Mejia only asked for Human Resource Officer Lana Balolong as resource person during the plenary.

Fernandez said he is happy that the majority invited Balolong because she can further point to the plight of regular workers who could not receive their third tranche of salary increase as provided for by a national law in the absence of an annual budget that allocated the increase.

He added that the continued refusal of the majority to create a Personnel Selection Board prevented the filling up vacant positions. The resolution remains pending with the committee of civil service and appointment headed by Councilor Alfie Fernandez.

Councilor Dennis Canto called on the majority and minority in the Sanggunian to now set aside their political differences and unite for once to pass the resubmitted annual city budget that is needed by the people of Dagupan.

Meanwhile, Councilor Seen told the forum that a big national business meeting scheduled in Dagupan was transferred to San Fernando, La Union when the organizers learned of the current politics in Dagupan. (Leonardo Micua)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments