THE opposition in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod continues to be self-absorbed with its political agenda and its number comprising the majority bloc. This notorious group has made it clear to all and sundry that only they decide what should and should not be passed into law in this post-pandemic period, regardless of consequences to the citizenry.

The opposition declared that it decided to pass only a restricted supplemental budget because .. it considered as “priority” only the providing the funds for the payment of benefits mandated by law and activities of the Sangguniang Kabataan. A “priority“ after two years? These were long overdue and the action of the seven councilors in the majority clearly smacked of hypocrisy that can put the trapos of old to shame.

So, for Councilors Redford Erfe-Mejia, Librada Reyna-Macalanda, Alfie Fernandez, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez, Celia Chua-Lim and Irene Lim-Acosta to make their constituents believe that the two programs were the only “priority” that deserved funding is clearly still a deliberate attempt to continue obstructing programs of government of the Belen Fernandez administration.

The Supplementary Budget No 1-2024 was already a compilation of projects and programs that the opposition rejected for two consecutive years. Wittingly or unwittingly, were the seven councilors adamantly opposed to their funding because these were the programs and activities that the Lim administration that they were part of, neglected and failed to pursue? Are they acknowledging that they are being consistent to this day that since these programs were not priorities for the city then, and, therefore, are still not priorities for the city today?

The sanctimonious claim of the seven councilors that paying the benefits due the city hall employees is a priority today was, in fact, another deliberate hard slap on the faces of the beneficiaries because they rejected it as a priority for the past two years like the rest of the programs that they refuse to consider as a “priority” for the city.

All that the opposition has been doing is plain power-tripping to serve their political agenda. Vanish any thoughts for good governance because in their book, good governance does not serve their agenda – to discredit the Belen administration.

The seven councilors and their ilk should be slapped “thrice, not twice,” when they present themselves to the city’s electorate in 2025 for continuously refusing to support the urgent priorities for the city since 2019!

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