SECOND ROUND BATTLE

MAYOR Belen Fernandez convened the Local Development Council (LDC) to a meeting last Wednesday, June 21, and passed two resolutions approving the resubmission of the 2023 Annual Budget of P1.3 billion and the submission of the P148.9 million Supplemental Annual Investment Plan No. 1 to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) for its approval.

Fernandez told members of the LDC, composed of the 31 Barangay Captains, members of the Civil Society Organizations, and department heads of the Dagupan City government, on the need to resubmit the annual budget “so we can rescue and save our people”.

She said the resubmission has become imperative after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) declared on June 5 the annual budget of P864.93 million passed by the seven-man majority in the SP on March 28, 2023 as “inoperative in its entirety”.

Since January 1, 2023, Dagupan has been operating on a reenacted budget.

With her at the LDC meeting were former Councilor Liberato Reyna Jr., chair of the Dagupan City People’s Organization, Vice Mayor Bryan Kua, Atty Aurora Valle, city legal Officer and city Administrator; and Chief Executive Assistant Luz de Guzman.

Even in Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia’s presence, Fernandez said with the annual budget declared as “inoperative in its entirety, “matagumpay na matagumpay na naisakatuparan ng pitong tao na pigilin ang pangkalahatang pag-unlad ng lungsod.”

Councilor Erfe-Mejia in his capacity as chair of the SP committee on finance, budget and appropriations, that passed the budget that was declared “inoperative in its entirety” was in the meeting.

The members of Erfe-Mejia’s committee that endorsed the inoperative budget were Erfe-Mejia, Celia Lim and her daughter Irene Lim-Acosta, Librada Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez and Alfie Fernandez.

Speaking in Tagalog to members of the LDC, Fernandez said: “Tumupad tayo sa ating tungkulin ayon sa batas, maayos nating ibinigay ang lahat ng mga plano at dokumento, tumupad tayo sa mga alituntunin at regulasyon na kinakailangan para maibigay ng mas maaga ang mga ito, nakipagtulungan lahat ng mga department heads at lahat ng ahensiya na kailangan nila sa kanilang pagpapasya,” Fernandez intoned.

“Tiniis ko ang pagpapahiya sa kanilang mga public hearings para lang sa ating mahal na lungsod… pero pag nilagay mo sa alanganin ang buhay, ang kalusugan, ang kabuhayan, at pag-unlad, ang isang Mayor Belen Fernandez ay hindi sumusuko,” she added. Barangay Captain Julita Perez of Pantal proposed a resolution for the resubmission of the P1.3-B annual budget.

Barangay Captain Nancy Morris of Bolosan moved for the passage of a resolution submitting Supplemental AIP No. 1 of P148.98 million to the SP, to complement the first AIP of P1.5 billion that was already passed by the city council.  (Leonardo Micua)

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