MBTF vetoes opposition’s ordinance hiking teachers’ allowance
MAYIOR Belen Fernandez vetoed the ordinance authored by the seven majority councilors seeking to increase the allowance of teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Dagupan from P500 monthly to P5,000 quarterly, citing among others that the opposition virtually arrogated upon itself the power to allocate funds that is vested only on the City Chief Executive.
Vetoed by the mayor was Ordinance No. 2284-2024 authored by Councilors Redford Erfe-Mejia, Librada Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Alipio Serafin Fernandez, Maria Lourdes Fernandez, Celia Lim and Irene Lim-Acosta, and was passed unanimously by the legislative body.
The five members of the minority bloc—Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez and Bradley Benavides—were non-committal.
In her letter to Vice Mayor Bryan Kua and all members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod dated July 1, 2024, Mayor Fernandez acknowledged the receipt of Ordinance No, 2284 on June 26, 2024 with her reply “I am returning the same without my approval.”
Among the reasons Mayor Fernandez cited for vetoing the ordinance were:
- The proposed allowance could not be sustained because there are still priorities which need immediate action and funding;
- The National Government already granted teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department by, Republic Act 11997 (Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act) providing P5,000 teaching allowance for public school teachers in basic education curriculum for 2024-2025.
This allowance, Fernandez said, will increase to P10,000 beginning school year 2025-2026.
3. In the exercise of her budget preparation function under the Local Government Code on the basis of estimates of income and expenditures “should at all times be recognized so that funding could not be a problem in the coming years especially the present ordinance at hand”.
She wrote “I am submitting this veto letter coupled with my request that we draw first our attention to more essentially needed programs needed most by our constituents.”
Ordinance No. 2284-2024 was passed by the SP during its regular session on June 11, 2024.
The vetoed ordinance will need 9 councilors to override it. (Leonardo Micua)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
