Enzo seen as new mayor in Binmaley
Unveils 10-point action program
Buoyed by the avalanche of support from various sectors for his mayoralty bid in Binmaley, businessman Lorenzo “Enzo” Cerezo expressed confidence that he will win in the May 10 elections that will chart a new course for the town and the people.
Enzo’s mayoralty bid is supported no less than by Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr., (himself assured of re-election and well-loved in Binmaley) retired police and military officers, senior citizens, professionals, barangay folks, overseas Binmaleyans and the youth.
Enzo’s life story is one for the books whose humble roots can be traced to the fishing village in Sabangan. Born on January 1, 1966, Enzo studied in Binmaley Catholic High School and earned his college degree major in B.S. Accounting at the Luzon Colleges, now University of Luzon.
His family migrated to the United States in the early 90s and it was where in California where he won the lottery. Married to Marissa Bangsal, Enzo has set up various business establishments. He now serves as president of the LMMJ HV Corporation and LMC Investments, Inc.
In an open letter, Enzo stressed that he and his family have been richly blessed with good fortune so much so that they could have lived with ease and comfort either here or in the United States.
“But as you have seen, we have opted to stay in our town, set up some businesses and kept on helping our less fortunate kababayans who find themselves in dire need. It must have been because, like most of you, I came from humble beginnings and want to be part of our town’s progress and to help others attain their dreams of better lives,” Enzo said.
Cerezo assured the people of Binmaley that the progress will finally come if he will be given a chance to be elected as the new Mayor anchored on his 10-Point Program Action.
“Citizens of Binmaley must now stop dreaming but start believing that true progress in the whole of Binmaley especially the barangays is now within reach,” Cerezo said.
Under his action program, it includes: Economic prosperity through aquaculture because Binmaley has the largest aquaculture land area in Pangasinan; introduction of the best methods of raising high value fish and aquaculture products will be giving a priority.
He also promised a no-nonsense governance for the streamlining government operations, Zero Corruption, Orderly and peaceful town.
Cerezo also proposed the creation of decent jobs and livelihoods that can be sustained through the future, a workable environmental care and protection program, reforms in delivery health and social services, education for everyone, zonification and long-term planning and dealing with public in their official acts and in conduct.
Enzo believes that Binmaley has excellent chances of moving forward in tandem with its more affluent neighbors – Lingayen and Dagupan City – with his program action for Binmaleyans.
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Binmaley gov’t heavily indebted – COA report
If a change of local officials in Binmaley results after the May 10 elections, the next mayor will inherit a municipal government with pretty little operating funds and a whopping indebtedness of P45.7 million.
This could be gleaned from two Commission on Audit reports on the financial health of Binmaley covering the last couple of years. The reports were signed by COA regional director Sabiano Cabatuan in cover letters he sent to Mayor Simplicio Rosario.
Current liabilities of the town for the year 2009 stood at P22.1 million, a bit lower than what it needed to pay in 2008 at P28.8 million, the COA had shown.
Worse, the town government under the Rosario administration had borrowed heavily from the Land Bank of the Philippines, which by the end of last year, amounted to P45.75 million. It only paid P2 million last year and will have to pay the remainder until 2018.
Another issue of mismanagement of the town’s limited money was shown in huge unliquidated advances made by officials and employees. Last year, this ballooned to P17.75 million from P11.7 million the other year.
Mayor Rosario led those with unliquidated cash advances totaling P1.4 million last year. Other Binmaley officials with unpaid cash advances from the general funds last year were Rubirose Bautista, Maricyl Maneclang and Renaida Beltran with unpaid cash advances exceeding P1 million each.
For two consecutive years, the COA has been questioning the truth about the exact value of the local government’s property, plant and equipment (PPE), which town officials estimated at P126.8 million.
“We reiterate the previous year’s recommendation that the (town) management should conduct a physical inventory of all the properties of the agency and a reconciliation of the same should be made with the balances in the general ledger,” the COA auditors admonished.
COA likewise questioned the big expense the town government incurred in buying office supplies last year in the amount of P7.58 million.
“Inventory was understated and office supplies expenses was overstated,” the auditors concluded.
The COA also found that the municipal treasurer issued checks which amounted close to P1 million but the issued checks did not appear in his cashbook and the book of accounts of the town as of the end of last year. This resulted in overstated cash in bank and understated expenses.
Another evidence of mismanagement pointed out by COA auditors was the accumulation of delinquent taxes on real properties totaling P6.2 million. The auditors found that there were very few collection letters sent to delinquent taxpayers.
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