SENATOR Imee Marcos, elder sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., expressed dismay on learning that action on the 2023 annual budget of Dagupan is still pending and the city is still operating on a reenacted budget.

“Nabalitaan ko nga yong mga maanghang na batuhan sa Facebook”, Senator Marcos said laughing, when asked what the city officials should do particularly after the city suffered from severe flooding.

Sana magkaisa kayo kahit temporary at plastikan. At kung hindi, malulunod kayong lahat,” was her frank reaction while seated beside Mayor Belen Fernandez during her talk with local newsmen.

Senator Marcos, who is known as “Super Ate”, was in Dagupan last August 5 to deliver P2,000 cash through the ‘Assistance of Individuals in Crisis Situation’ program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development to each of the 2,500 tricycle drivers and operators.

At a later press conference, Fernandez said because of the advice of Senator Marcos, she will write the Sangguniang Panlungsod to ask the seven majority councilors to return the proposed ordinance on the annual budget to the regular agenda for second reading.

“I will do that, especially now that Dagupan has been badly bruised by the flood,” Fernandez said.

It will be recalled that on June 8, the 2023 budget was removed from the weekly agenda for second reading on motion of Majority Floor Leader Librada Reyna-Macalanda, which was supported by her six colleagues in the majority.

Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia, chair of the committee on finance, budget and appropriation who supported the motion, actually had agreed a week before to have this measure placed in the agenda for second reading following a recommendation by the Local Development Council that Erfe-Mejia attended. (Leonardo Micua)

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