Councilor A.I. for the Win!
By Farah G. Decano
DAGUPAN City Councilors receive a basic monthly salary of around P107,000 and a monthly allowance of P14,500 (as of 2023). This is on top of 13th and 14th-month pay bonuses and other emoluments. Given this substantial compensation from public funds, citizens are absolutely right in demanding more than just nominal attendance and a flurry of legislation. They expect more meaningful constituency work.
“Meaningful constituency work” means Councilors actively engaging with barangays, identifying community needs, and developing programs to address them. It’s about being accessible and responsive, not disappearing after elections, or making themselves hard to find. The public should not have to chase their elected representatives.
Mayor Belen Fernandez is reportedly poised to grant each Councilor 10 to 12 job order employees. This is an opportunity that must be utilized responsibly.
Disturbingly, there have been reports of a few previous Councilors (hmmm have they re-assumed their positions?) listing private staff, such as a law office secretary, as publicly funded “job order” employees. This practice means taxpayers are effectively subsidizing a Councilor’s private profession, which is unacceptable.
These 10 to 12 job order employees to be allotted to each Councilor should be visible and dedicated to serving constituents in the barangays and in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) office, not in private pursuits.
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My experience as City Administrator from 2013 to 2019 provided firsthand insight into the performance of some Dagupan City Councilors. Despite each legislator having around 10 job order employees, many preferred to lean on my office for resolutions and ordinances, often for what seemed like “pa-pogi points” (publicity stunts). It was perplexing, especially since each has 10 job orders and the Sanggunian Secretary’s office had over 20 staff, compared to my modest team of 2 to 4.
I commend my dedicated staff during that period, particularly Atty. Jo Ibaan, Tabitha Francisco, and later Di Ann Alberto. They painstakingly researched legal bases, consulted experts, and scoured law books to produce well-researched legislative proposals. They were, in essence, the unsung legislators of Dagupan City.
During those years, I often questioned why some Councilors seemed unwilling to perform the work that came with the seats that they won when they got elected. Mayor Belen’s advice was “Gawin mo lang” (just do it), a pragmatic approach to maintain her simple majority in the Council. Unfortunately, this sometimes led to a sense of entitlement among some Councilors, with a few even becoming spoiled brats.
In stark contrast, when I served as a City Councilor, then-Mayor Al Fernandez simply called me with a request for an ordinance, and I took full responsibility. After all, I ran for the job; it was my duty.
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The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) applications has fundamentally changed the landscape of legislative work. Drafting proposed ordinances, once a tedious, research-intensive process, can now be accomplished in mere seconds. I’ve personally experimented with AI, and it can generate a four-page legislative draft almost instantly.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that several recent legislations published on social media are AI-generated, exhibiting a similar tone and structure. While this technological leap is impressive — and might even tempt us to jest about voting “A.I. for Councilor!”—it also means that Councilors have no more excuses.
They can no longer burden other departments with their legislative duties, nor can they be negligent in their constituency work. With AI streamlining the drafting process, Councilors can now redirect their efforts towards greater visibility and genuine engagement with the people. Their presence should not be for mere showmanship, but for actively and empathetically addressing the concerns of their constituents.
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