AN ordinance, put forward by the Dagupan City Council’s majority bloc, that will slash the business permit fee by 50% for operators affected by the road elevation project covering major thoroughfares was approved and is now up for approval or veto by Mayor Belen Fernandez.

The mayor hinted at a possible veto of Ordinance No. 2286-2024 as she earlier cited the need for private sector support and cooperation as the city government undertakes measures to solve the perennial flooding along Arellano Street, A.B. Fernandez Avenue, M.H. Del Pilar Street, and Perez Boulevard.

Fernandez also pointed out that the infrastructure project has been proven effective as these newly-elevated roads were spared from flooding during last week’s monsoon rains enhanced by Typhoon ‘Carina’ for the first time, and the business establishments on those roads will benefit for a long time.

The ordinance, known as the “Tax Relief to Business Establishments Affected by Road Elevation and Construction of Drainage System in the City of Dagupan,” proposed by Councilors Redford Erfe-Mejia, Alipio Serafin Fernandez, Librada Reyna-Macalanda, Alvin Coquia, Celia Chua-Lim, Marilou Fernandez and Irene Lim-Acosta, “is intended to mitigate the impact” of the project on business owners, with the discount to be applied beginning March 2024.

Since the construction started in July 2023, the ordinance cited “numerous complaints received… from various business owners, managers and/or operators that their establishments are quantitively affected in their daily sales, caused unprecedented disruption of economic activities and financial difficulties.”

If approved, the Office of the City Treasurer and the One Stop Business Center will implement the ordinance (Leonardo Micua) 

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