WHILE some non-government organizations, along with people’s organizations and barangays, are under fire for millions of pesos in unliquidated “financial assistance” released in the past three years, some civic groups are prompting Mayor Belen Fernandez to bring back Dagupan’s status as a first class city.

The call was made by NGOs who attended the People’s Consultative Assembly and Comprehensive Development Planning called by the Dagupan City government on September 18 at CSI Stadia.

The assembly, specifically, called for improved efficiency and effective tax collection through the inventory of tax units (business and real property) and updating of data.

Dagupan used to be the only city in the province that earned the first class status.

Fernandez said she is accepting the challenge and at the same time reiterated her pledge that there will be no increase in tax rates in Dagupan.

The mayor also reiterated her assurance that “every single centavo they (the public) pay will go to projects and nothing for graft and corruption”.

City Budget Officer Luz de Guzman said Dagupan was reclassified to second class after failing to meet the required income for a first class city, which is an annual average of P500 million.

“No doubt, Dagupan can make the grade if the minimum income for a first class city even if it will be increased to P550 million in the next reclassification to be made by the Department of Finance but not P600-M or more,” De Guzman said.

Fernandez said there are a lot of tax potentials in the city that remain untapped, citing the improved cash tickets collection at the city market.

BARATILLOS, RIVER CRUISE

The assembly organized by City Planning Coordinator Romeo Rosario, said a veritable untapped gold mine are the regular baratillos, food strips and tiangges during the annual city fiesta in December and the Bangus Festival in April.

It noted that the proceeds for these activities under the past city administration were never remitted by the executive committees to the city coffer. It is not known who finally kept the collected rentals and fees including sponsorships since no liquidation or report was ever filed by chairmen of the executive committees.

The festival executive committees received also millions of public funds from the city government.

The assembly called on the Sangguniang Panlungsod to address the irregularity.

Another suggested income-generating project is the River Cruise which remains suspended to this day.

The cruise boats were reportedly towed away by the personnel of the Magic Group of Companies owned by Mayor Lim after he lost the election.

The group also called for a full computerization of collections, such as in the market and well as traffic violation citations issued by the Public Order and Safety Office.

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