2024 ANNUAL DAGUPAN BUDGET

THE political opposition that comprise the majority bloc in the Sangguniang Panlungsod continues to be defiant and ignores Mayor Belen Fernandez’s January 17, 2024 directive to the legislative to fast track the enactment of the Proposed Annual Investment Plan and Annual Budget for 2024 it being “a matter of urgent concern”.

So far, as of January 23, only two committee hearings were held, with only four departments, including the office of the City Administrator, completed their presentations.

Resisting rules provided in the Local Government Code being invoked by Mayor Fernandez, Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia, chair of the committee on finance, budget and appropriations, said the majority invokes its right to conduct committee hearings first, citing a provision of their House Rules.

In reaction, Councilor and Minority Leader Fernandez, who expressly sought the passage of the Proposed 2024 Annual Investment Plan and the Proposed 2024 Annual Budget during the January 23 regular session, said the Local Government Code cannot be overruled by a mere House Rules.

Among the rules cited by the mayor and Councilor Fernandez were:

1. Section 323 of the Local Government that states “In case  the Sanggunian concerned fails to pass the appropriations ordinance at the beginning of the ensuing fiscal year, “ it shall continue to hold sessions, without additional remuneration for its members, until such ordinance is approved, and no other business may be taken up during such sessions”.
2. Section 323  of LGC mentions the word “sessions” and not committee hearings, which members of the majority continue to hold on weekly basis, from 11:00 a.m. every Tuesday after the session.
3. Section 303 also provides that  “If the Sanggunian still fails to enact such ordinance after ninety (90) days from the beginning  of the fiscal year, the ordinance authorizing the appropriations of the preceding year shall be deemed reenacted and shall remain in force and effect  until the ordinance authorizing the proposed  annual appropriations  is passed  by the Sanggunian concerned”.
4. Section  415, IRR Budget Authorization-(a) Legislative Authorization of the Budget provides:  “On or before the current fiscal year, the Sanggunian concerned shall enact through an ordinance, the annual budget of the LGU for the ensuing fiscal year  on the basis of the estimated income and expenditure submitted by the local chief executive..”
5. Article 107, Ordinances and Resolutions that states: Any legislative matter duly certified by the local chief executive as urgent, whether or not it is included in the calendar of business, may be presented and considered by the body at the  same meeting without need of suspending the rules.”

Mayor Fernandez reminded the majority bloc that only Dagupan City has not approved its annual budget for 2024 at the inception of the current fiscal year.  The proposed 2024 budget was submitted to the SP as early as October 2023. (Leonardo Micua)

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