By Farah G. Decano

 

IF the seven Dagupan City councilors also known as Magic 7 wish to be seen in high regard by the public, then they must stop being mere stallers.

They recently boycotted a Sanggunian regular session. They delayed the approval of the scholarship program of the city.  They have not acted on a proposed ordinance that will facilitate the appointment and promotion of employees.  They provided cause for the proposed annual budget to be inoperative.

These opposition councilors must seriously undergo an examination of conscience. What benefit will the city reap from their ghosting of a Sanggunian session?  What advantage will the city government obtain with the wholesale blocking of the appointment and promotion of its employees?  What is enhanced with the residents when the scholarship dreams of the young are generally thwarted?  What profit will the city gain from a severely-cut budget?

None. Nada. Zilch.

Without any valid explanation to the public for these sweeping obstructions, these acts of the Magic 7 are sabotage.

The opposition must realize that with their numbers in the Sanggunian, they can devote their time and the city’s resources to activities that will raise the level of discussion among politically-inclined Dagupeños.  As of now, their bone of contention to most issues is that the presence of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez and Vice Mayor BK Kua is necessary in the committee levels where the opposition councilors reign.   They, however, offered no justification for requiring the attendance of the mayor and the vice mayor in the committee hearings.  Worse, they made such requirement conditional before the proposed legislative measure can be considered.   Curiously, the members of the Magic 7 could not even identify what public interest and public welfare would be violated if Mayor Belen and Vice Mayor BK decided not to honor their invitation.

In fairness, however, to the members of the opposition, their request for the list of emergency workers’ names was a valid one. The legislature has the power of the purse and it is within its oversight powers to ensure that the resources of the government are well-spent.  What with the many horror stories regarding ghost employees in many parts of the country since time immemorial, the Magic-7 was reasonable to also focus on that matter.  The founder of the Sunday PUNCH himself was assassinated because he wanted to expose the anomalies regarding emergency workers.

The opposition councilors, though they had correctly raised a valid issue, did not know what to do with it.  They misused it as a ground for hasty and severe budget cuts.  The executive’s reason for refusing to provide the list is understandable.  Allegedly, Mayor Belen did not trust how the so-called Magic-7 will treat her new hires.  She feared that those whom she hired may face some shaming.  The mayor had basis for her qualms because she herself was publicly humiliated by the Magic 7 when they launched a walk-out from the session hall while she still had the floor.

Here is a tip for the Magic 7:  Help Dagupan City achieve an unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit similar to what was garnered by Governor Helen Tan of Quezon Province.  By using oversight functions of the Sanggunian, you can assist in the responsible management and meticulous handling of public funds. You will still be fiscalizing at the same time guiding the city to progress.

You do not have to be the dumped silt that keeps the river from flowing to the ocean. You know what happens when water becomes stagnant.

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