SP holds budget hearings in small conference room
TO EXCLUDE MEDIA, PUBLIC
THE majority at the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod finally made it official that budget hearings will be held at the small conference room at the third floor of the SP building, a room that can only accommodate the committee members and resource persons, purposely to exclude media and stakeholders and the public to witness the proceedings.
This was decided in yet another showdown between the majority and minority in the SP, which was again handily won by the former by a vote of 7-5, over calls for the committee to hold public hearings.
The minority, headed by Councilor Michael Fernandez opposed the motion of Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia, chair of the committee on finance, budget and appropriation, to hold the budget hearing at the conference room of the SP session hall, but the latter refused, forcing the division of the house.
Fernandez called on the majority to open the hearing on the 2023 budget to the public so the public will know how the city government proposes to spend taxes paid.
But in an interview by a local television the day before, Erfe-Mejia was quoted as saying: “Mayroon na kaming instances na kapag sa public ay mayrong nagra-rally, maingay sa session hall. Mayron kaming records na instances na hindi ito tama na habang nagse-session kami at may nagra-rally, maingay, istorbo sa aming session”.
Reacting to Erfe-Mejia’s statement, Regional Director Agnes de Leon of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Region 1, said: “Hindi naman ito (budget hearing) kailangang confidential.”
Councilor Erfe-Mejia filed the motion, seconded by Councilor Alvin Coquia, to correct the information issued that the hearings will be conducted at the conference room of the SP in the first floor. (Leonardo Micua)
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