By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THE political zarzuela over the implementation of the 2022 annual budget of Dagupan City is definitely not over, until it’s over. And the day of reckoning will be July 1.

In fact, whether Mayor Brian Lim approves or vetoes the budget ordinance by June 25, the zarzuela will continue with the new composition of the Sanggunian Panlungsod (SP) when its implementation is expected to begin in July.

The majority in the current SP is pro-Mayor Belen Fernandez. So expect it to continue to move rocks and boulders out of the way to enable her to start her term with the 2022 budget, no longer the reenacted 2021 budget that was applied under Mayor Lim.

By July 1, the majority in the new SP will be pro-Mayor Brian Lim. Perhaps the city should expect darts and arrows flying all over the place to ensure that the 2022 city budget, crafted by then ex-Mayor Brian and intended for his use alone, are not realigned by the Fernandez administration to serve its agenda.

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OLD VS NEW MAJORITY. The reversal of roles at the Dagupan SP can either see a deeper polarization between Fernandez and Lim allies or a refreshing development. And that will largely depend not only on how Mayor Belen plays her role as matriarch of the city but how the councilors in the majority will conduct themselves.

First of all, I’m certain there is no way the new majority (pro-Brian), which I predict will be led by Councilor Red Erfe-Mejia, will block the pro-poor, pro-elders, pro-youth agenda of Mayor Belen.  To do that would just open the can of worms under Mayor Brian administration on these programs, a situation that members of the new majority would rather not be asked to explain to the new minority.

Secondly, the councilors in the new majority realistically need to respond to their own individual, respective constituents’ needs. And they need a sympathetic Mayor Belen to enable them to deliver.  “I scratch your back, you scratch mine.”

Where I believe the new majority will use its number as leverage will be in the discussion of the 2023 annual budget.  To do that, kailangan ang talino, sipag at tiaga.  And that’s par for the course being in the majority. If they don’t live up to the challenge, the new minority will have its way. 

In local politics, party lines are hardly a factor. What matters are individual political interests.  

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GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT… TO WHERE?  Incoming Mayor Belen Fernandez should thank her lucky stars that she doesn’t have to move dump trucks to collect mounting garbage in the streets, markets and barangay Material Recovery Facilities on her first day in office.

The office of Mayor Brian finally gave the go-signal to release the purchase orders for the needed fuel for city’s Waste Management Division’s trucks operations.

That’s the first news breaker as we beat the printing deadline.

But this development begs more questions than answers.

Did the city government run out of funds in May after the elections? If not true, what prompted him to stop issuing the purchase orders?

The next question that Mayor Brian needs to point out – where are all these garbage and household wastes being dumped?

Was the closed dumpsite restored back to normal operations for the city government to use?

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IMEE’S VALID CONCERN. I’ve always maintained that Senator Imee Marcos is the most politically astute in the Marcos family, but second only to her mother Imelda.

Proof of this was her recent statement. She expressed concern that the post-election expectations of the people are extremely high, perhaps bordering on being unreasonably high.

It has to be. All the campaign tricks were employed to win in the election, from campaign promises to unify the nation, to reducing the price of rice by almost 50%, to providing more jobs, etc. All that resulted in BBM’S unprecedented election as a majority president.

BBM’s election by a huge number speaks volume of level of trust reposed in him by the voters.

Perhaps, BBM’s campaign team failed to realize that generations of frustrations and disappointments took every line of his campaign promises to heart.

Little did they realize that winning was the easy part. What to do after winning is the tough part.

In brief, Senator Imee is concerned that acting presidential alone won’t cut it with those who went all out to ensure his election. 

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