Unconscionable spending

By Leonardo Micua

HOW true is the report of one broadcaster close to the Lim administration that the city government is spending a whopping more than P5 million of taxpayers’ money for the Christmas lighting of the Quintos and the Magsaysay bridges, and the giant Christmas tree in front of the city museum? But it will be more if you add the cost of electricity that these will consume during the entire Christmas season and that could be P2 million or more.

Still, we were informed that Mr. Brian Lim will keep the lights on in the two bridges till the Dagupan Bangus Festival in April. (Note the bangus design on the lamps). By then, the bill may run to P10 million or more, equivalent to four to five covered courts in our public elementary schools, based on the P2 million cost of the North Central Elementary School in Bonuan Gueset.

This kind of lavish spending, profligacy and grand display of public wealth did not happen during the immediate past administration. If my memory serves me right, Belen, who was known for her frugal, simple living, the city did not spend a single centavo for lighting the two bridges in her last Christmas as city mayor. The lights, I was told, were donated to the city by the United Architects of the Philippines chapter. 

Recall, too, that when she was acting mayor of Dagupan before finally taking over as city mayor in 2013, she ordered strict belt-tightening in all offices knowing that her administration inherited a bankrupt coffer, and she succeeded.  She was able to settle all outstanding city obligations long neglected in the past. Eventually and with the help of all, she reversed the situation and ended the year with a little surplus.

In stark contrast, this current city administration, awash with cash it inherited from the Fernandez administration, a cool P1.01 billion, had no qualms spending for non-essential and non-tangible projects that were pleasing to the eyes but nothing that improved the lives of his constituents. This is unconscionable!

A friend, who is a keenly observing developments in the city, caught me off guard when he asked me if I know of Brian’s projects other than the Christmas decors on the two bridges and the soon-to-rise giant Christmas tree since he came to his office on July 1. I had no instant answer since I had not seen one! Have you?

Ha, ha, ha Joy, Rod and Rolly will soon be delighted to see the dazzling lights, but not for long when they ‘re told of the astronomical costs of the project charged to taxpayers’ money. 

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If you feel you are being given the run-around in transacting with government agencies, you have a recourse to make to have your business done quick.

Text your problem to 8888. Someone in Malacanang receives and acts on your message, provided you have submitted all the information and documents required.

Janette Asis, human resources and development officer, said this mechanism is provided for in R.A. No. 11032 (The Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018).

Under the law, an agency has 3 days to act on a simple transaction, 7 days if the transaction needs a review, and 20 days if the transaction needs longer period of evaluation. Beyond those days, you may see the head of that office or text the number 8888. The public can also text that number if they see that a transaction smacks of graft and corruption.

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A media colleague from Lingayen confided to me that he and his family fell victim being made to eat alien bangus when these were served for dinner. It tasted like mud. From all indications, it was the Bulacan bangus that was sold to them, the same milkfish that was allowed by a Dagupan ordinance to enter the Dagupan fish market twice a week.

The Bulacan bangus must have likely entered Lingayen through a bangus dealer in Dagupan City.

I hope the Sangguniang Bayan of Lingayen with Vice Mayor Juday Vargas, granddaughter of our late old good friend Romualdo “Romy” de Leon, will not commit the mistake of passing an ordinance allowing Bulacan bangus to enter Lingayen.

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