“UNSTUDIED, REDUNDANT ORDINANCE”

MAYOR Belen Fernandez again vetoed an ordinance passed by the majority councilors, this time “to adopt comprehensive policies and guidelines for the observance of the national resilience week celebration in the city of Dagupan every third week of July,” also objected to by the minority councilors.

In her letter to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on July 15, 2024, Fernandez said, “I am writing to formally communicate my decision to Veto Ordinance No. 2285-2024 recently passed by your good office.”

She cited the “conflicts with a national pronouncement that July should be renamed as Resilience Month” and not only every third week of July.

Additionally, the proposed Ordinance No. 2285-2024, authored by Councilor Alvin Coquia, duplicates existing Ordinance No. 1987-2013 which undermines clarity and cohesion in legislative framework, Fernandez said.

Councilor and Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez earlier said Councilor Coquia was one of those who voted for Ordinance No. 1987-2013 during his first term as city councilor of Dagupan.

The mayor cited five ambiguous provisions, among these were: 1) The title of the Ordinance on page 2, does not coincide with the title on page; 2) Sirens will not be for 3 separate kinds (as provided for in the ordinance) as the same would only create confusion and traumas and, 3) Evacuation centers were not identified.

Fernandez told the SP that instead of the unstudied ordinance, SP should authorize the purchase of fire trucks, ambulances, equipment for the development of the city’s Super Family Clinic that the SP continued to block as provided in the supplementary budget.

She also said that additional nurses, additional personnel of the City Health Office, construction of school buildings to meet out the need later for evacuation places, relocation of the Command Centers to its original location and the purchase of additional disaster equipment must also be provided.

Mayor Fernandez added that the city government closely coordinating with Philvolcs and training sessions were organized involving personnel from various government agencies aimed to enhance disaster preparedness. (Leonardo Micua)

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