Councilors: Not as “deputy mayors”, please
THREE city councilors favor the planned clustering of barangays in Dagupan but disagreed with the use of the term “deputy mayors” for the head of these groupings.
Councilors Jose Netu Tamayo, Farah Marie Decano and Liga ng mga Barangay president Lino Fernandez maintained that the city’s vice mayor is legally the only elected official who is entitled to the title and rank that translates to “deputy mayor”.
Tamayo, a lawyer, suggested that a more appropriate title would be “deputy ABC (Association of Barangay Councils) president”.
The clustering, proposed during a recent meeting of the City Development Council, aims to organize the 31 barangays into five clusters based on geographical and social criteria to improve administration and delivery of social services. Each cluster will be headed by one of the barangay chairmen elected from among the group.
Tamayo surmised that Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., who made the announcement about the proposal, must not have meant the use of “deputy mayor” for the cluster chiefs since the was himself a vice mayor and knows that the title only applies to the vice mayor.
Decano, meanwhile, said, “I am amenable (to the clustering) as we have been doing this in the past to facilitate our projects, in order to deliver our services faster. In fact we have been doing this during Christmas time and during the Bangus Festival.”
Tamayo also manifested his support for the clustering scheme including “the appointment of deputy ABC presidents.”
For her part, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez said she took no offense to the cluster heads’ proposed title, but agrees with the councilors that “deputy ABC president” would be a more apt title. She also said she supports the proposed clustering.
The councilors also allayed fears that the clustering would only add another layer to the bureaucracy and spawn red tape.
Councilor Fernandez said the scheme will actually improve efficiency and hasten development projects.
“Barangay captains see the mayor one by one and asking for infra projects and their counterparts in adjacent barangays are requesting for similar projects,” he said.
The Liga ng mga Barangay and the City Planning Office are now drafting the proposed cluster scheme including the nominated head for each cluster.
Decano, however, proposed that a city ordinance be drafted to make the scheme a permanent set-up.—LM
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