After the elevation, alleviation, please?
By Farah G. Decano
THE almost towering height of the ongoing road elevation in various parts of the city is causing agitation among business owners and residents. The usual animosity between the two political factions – administration and opposition – seems to eclipse their focus on what is essential. Their frequent bickering about the annual appropriations for the city seems to be louder than the clamor for government assistance by a distraught public.
The Executive should not play the budget game by the rules of the opposition. It is time to take the bull by its horns. If the Sanggunian members could still not enact the appropriations ordinance by the end of March 2024, please seriously consider bringing to court those who are responsible.
Knowing Mayor Belen, she can stand her ground against anyone. There must be some grave reason for her seeming hesitation to file the cases. I hope that she and City Legal Officer, Atty. Aurora Valle can divulge to the public the reason why they did not file the case against the majority last year despite pronouncements to do so. The public wants to know. Who can forget what Mayor Belen said during her last year’s SOCA? She ordered, “Atty. Valle, ilaban mo kami.” What happened to this directive? I hope they won’t leave the public to speculate the motive for their refusal. I am already hearing unkind conjectures.
Buti na lang at matapang si VM BK na sya na lang ang gumawa nang paraan para pumasa ang 2023 Budget noong September 2023.
The lack of legal assistance could not be the problem this time. The City Legal Office now has two new bar passers as assistants in addition to the existing two formidable lawyers in the City Hall, the feisty Atty. Catleya and the cool Atty. Fermil.
When Atty. Vicky Cabrera and I were in the city hall, there were lots of grand projects that happened concurrently and in quick succession. Aside from legal and executive functions, my office handled quasi-judicial functions and quasi-legislative functions. Because Mayor Belen’s mind was fertile and creative, my office was given the additional task of drafting various resolutions and ordinances every week. Mapalakapak saray computer mi. Anggapo’y meneng. Anggapo’y baraan.
We did not have problems with the budget so we worked on several and simultaneous development programs. Nakakapagod. Sobrang puyat. We were able to successfully strategize the Mayor’s big ticket projects such as the supposed construction of new City Hall, the Waste to Worth Garbage Conversion project and the enactment of the City Land Use Plan ordinance duly approved by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.
With much less projects this year due to another budget delay, we expect the City Legal Office to have more time studying possible cases to be filed. Sana nakahanda na po kayo.
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Going back to the road elevation issue, I hope that both political factions can focus on the plight alleviation of the affected residents and business owners. The latter are now forced either to evacuate or to renovate their structures to adjust to the new height of the road.
Since these concerned constituencies are no longer stopping the ongoing construction, perhaps the government can help them by declaring a two-year moratorium on some local taxes. The City Treasurer may consider suggesting to the Mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod the possible type of taxes that could accommodate moratorium. The City Government could also mediate for its residents by suggesting to local banks which affected residents and business owners may qualify for special loans with lower interest rates so that they can renovate their houses or commercial spaces. I remember that after the 1991 earthquake, the residents of Dagupan were given the privilege to apply for these kinds of special loans.
Afterall, the impact of the unusual height of the road elevation is almost similar to the devastating effects of a calamity na ikinagulat ng lahat!
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