By Leonardo Micua

 

BEFORE we delve into issues, I wish my readers Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year. We are puzzled why many still sport squirming and sad faces.

Could it be because of the side comment of Jay Mendoza, manager of Sonshine Radio Dagupan, during his interview with Mayor Belen Fernandez?  He informed the mayor of the stout claim of Urdaneta City Mayor Rammy Parayno that his booming city has already surpassed Dagupan in terms of financial standing and economic vitality.

However, further investigation into the income generated by Urdaneta in 2023 validated that claim.

The figures revealed that Urdaneta already generated more than P1.5 billion in revenues in 2023, while Dagupan only earned P1.3 billion. This stark difference alone confirmed the fact that, indeed, Urdaneta is way ahead in terms of financial success.

Note that in 2018, Dagupan proudly earned its reputation as the first city and local government unit in Region 1 to join the billionaires club. During that year, Dagupan recorded an impressive P1.1 billion income, a feat attributed to the effective leadership of Mayor Belen Fernandez during her tenure.

That time, Urdaneta was still trailing Dagupan.

Unfortunately, after Mayor Fernandez stepped down from her position and handed the city to Brian Lim for a brief three-year term, the progress of Dagupan took a sudden nosedive. The city rapidly retrogressed, relinquishing its title as the pinnacle of economic dynamism and income to Urdaneta City.

Evidently, Fernandez’s successor failed to sustain the momentum the city once enjoyed as the shining star of Region 1. With an obstructionist city council today, sabotaging Mayor Fernandez’s programs, Dagupan might further pull the city down the drain.

With new investments, infrastructures and schools of higher learning, the short term of incumbent Mayor Rammy Parayno, Urdaneta City already became the undisputed leader in the field of economy and education in eastern Pangasinan. Very likely soon, in whole province.

Recall that Urdaneta was the first LGU in Pangasinan to put up a community high school before the latter was nationalized and absorbed by the Department of Education, where at one time I was enrolled, and a community college that already attained a university status. Urdaneta can definitely be expected to create more economic miracles in years ahead.

Meanwhile, Dagupan, is expected to further slide down because some of its officials are not willing to help Mayor Fernandez succeed in dramatically restoring her city in the economic track, and instead are keen on pulling her and the city further down.

Imagine, the seven majority councilors even attempted to reduce Dagupan’s standing relegating it to a mere third class municipality by legislating only P864.91 million as its annual budget in 2023.

Given the obstructionist mentality of the seven majority councilors, Dagupan has no chance to move forward, not even an inch. Many are already betting that the  proposed 2024 annual city budget will be treated same way as the 2023 annual city budget, which was passed only by an act of the Divine Providence, when three majority councilors were on vacation abroad.

The majority in the Dagupan SP likely learned its lesson well. Its members will not make the mistake of being outnumbered by the minority in any regular or special session.

From where I sit, I foresee that the seven-man majority is in no mood to approve the Supplemental Budgets No. 1 and 2 and neither will they pass the Supplemental Investment Programs of the two because of their distorted belief that the passage of the 2023 appropriations ordinance that enacted the P1.3 billion annual city budget was irregular, therefore, not valid.

They maintain this position notwithstanding the fact that the Department of Budget and Management declared the appropriations ordinance passed last September as “operative in its entirety” upholding the minority’s position that there was no amendment nor objection to the measure as the records of the secretariat as well as its video recording showed.

Given their mindset, I doubt if they will even  pass a resolution authorizing  Mayor Fernandez with the DOH in behalf of the city for the construction of the P150 million Mother and Child Hospital even if the project will be beneficial to the city, particularly the indigents. Wanna bet? #

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