UNFAZED BY JEERS FROM CITY HALL

THE Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) will resume its hearing on the proposed 2011 budget of Dagupan during its regular session on Monday, February 7, according to Councilor Jeslito Seen, chair of the committee on finance.

Seen said records show the latest copy of the annual budget, the fourth draft, from the executive branch was received by the SP at 5:26 p.m. of February 1 while the councilors received their respective copies the following day.

The three previous drafts of the proposal were returned by the council to city hall after it found errors in computations, discrepancies in items, and for lack of various supporting documents on the proposed funding allotments.

The council has also taken note that Mayor Benjamin Lim has moved his State of the City Address (SOCA) from February 7 to February 14 at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome.

At the same time, Seen revealed that Dagupan is not the only city in Pangasinan still without an approved budget.

ALAMINOS

Seen said he recently talked to Councilor Carol Sison of Alaminos City and learned that they too have yet to pass the proposed budget.

Unlike Lim, however, who has continuously lambasted the SP, accusing the latter of intentionally delaying the approval of the budget due to political reasons, he noted that Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza has not been heard to complain but is patiently waiting for city council’s final action.

Under the local government law, towns and cities have until March 31 to adopt an annual budget otherwise a re-enacted budget from the previous year will take effect.

Dagupan is an independent city and its budget is not subject to the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. On the other hand, Alaminos City is a component city of Pangasinan and its ordinance adopting the budget will have to pass through the provincial council for review.

Lim also earlier tagged the council members as “lazy” and “irresponsible” for allegedly procrastinating on the proposed budget.

“In reviewing and scrutinizing the budget we are proving to the executive that we do not deserve to be labeled as ‘lazy’ and ‘irresponsible’,” Seen said in reply.

Seen said once all the new documents submitted by the city hall’s finance committee are finally determined to be in order, discussions with the department heads on their respective parts of the budgets can immediately take place.

“We hope the department heads will show up so we can adopt the budget soon enough,” the councilor said.

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