MBTF vetoes ordinance increasing court officials’ allowances
‘NOT SUSTAINABLE TODAY’
MAYOR Belen Fernandez vetoed the ordinance passed by the majority bloc in the Sangguniang Panlungsod seeking to increase the allowances of key court officials in Dagupan City.
Ordinance No. 2273-2023, intended to raise the monthly allowances provided by the city government to judges, prosecutors, and public attorneys stationed at the Regional Trial Court Branches 15, 76, 44, 43, 42, 41, and 40 in Dagupan City.
The city council measure sought to increase the monthly allowances of court judges from P15,000 to P20,000, prosecutors from P9,500 to P15,000 and P15,000 allowance for public attorneys.
In her written veto message sent to the city council secretariat on September 22, Mayor Fernandez clarified that her decision was based on fiscal sustainability. She expressed her reluctance, stating, “With a heavy heart, although this ordinance is for the benefit of the honorable members of the judiciary and prosecutor service, I am returning this ordinance without my approval and signature due to its non-sustainability, not only for this year but also for the coming calendar year.”
The said ordinance was jointly authored by Councilors Alipio Serafin-Fernandez, Librada Fe Reyna-Macalanda, Alvin Coquia, Redford Erfe-Mejia, Celia Lim, Marilou Fernandez, and Victoria Charinna Lim-Acosta, all with the majority bloc.
Four minority councilors, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez, and Joshua Bugayong, opposed the measure because judges, prosecutors, and public attorneys are officials of the national government, either from the Justice Department or the Supreme Court. Councilor Michael Fernandez, the minority floor leader, abstained from the vote.
Mayor Fernandez also criticized the SP majority for passing such an ordinance at a time when the city was operating without an annual budget and how it affected basic services and salaries of city hall personnel.
While the Local Government Code allows local government units to grant additional allowances and benefits to national government officials and employees, the mayor said
the total amount should not exceed the Representation and Transportation Allowance (RATA) authorized for department heads in the LGU concerned.
It is not likely that the 7-member majority bloc will seek to overturn the veto because to do it would require nine votes. (Leonardo Micua)
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