A MORE efficient waste management could be expected in Dagupan with the passage last week of the long-delayed supplemental budget of P557 million by the new majority in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) following the 60-day preventive suspension of three majority councilors opposed to the administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez.

Supplemental Budget No. 2 of 2023 passed only on Tuesday, 5, allocated funds for the procurement of one back hoe and one pay loader for garbage hauling, four brand new garbage trucks, a brand new bailing machine, glass pulverizer, plastic shredder, and 20 motorcycles with “garong” for garbage collection.

The mayor said these garbage trucks and equipment were previously proposed under Supplemental Budget No. 1 of 2022, which was ignored by the seven members of the old majority in the SP, namely Councilors Redford Erfe-Mejia, Alipio Fernandez, Victorio Czarinna Lim-Acosta, Librada Reyna-Macalanda, Celia Lim, Alvin Coquia and Marilou Fernandez.

It was again included under Supplement Budget No. 1 of 2023, but the approved version only covered the delayed benefits of workers of the Dagupan City government as well as the retirement benefits of former employees.

The mayor again convened the Local Development Council to include the items in Supplemental Budget No, 2-2023.

Suspended in an order of the Office of the President dated October 30, 2024 were Erfe-Mejia, Fernandez and Lim-Acosta, triggering the change of command in the SP with the former minority bloc now the ruling majority group.

The mayor, quoting the slogan “budget delayed is service denied”, said the garbage problem in Dagupan worsened since 2022 when she took over from the past city administration as she inherited old trucks and equipment that were all under a state of disrepair. (Leonardo Micua)

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