FOR rejecting the Annual Investment Program (AIP) submitted by the city executive, the majority in the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dagupan City committed a serious violation of the law and for ignorance of the law.

This was underscored by City Legal Officer Aurora Valle who said the AIP is a plan of the city executive or the programs she intends to implement during the year, adding that being a plan, “it was wrong for the Sanggunian to amend and reject it. “.

“The AIP is a product of a resolution coming from the Local Development Council . One cannot just say I will amend that. It would be improper to do it because that was the work of the Local Development Council,” she added.

During the Sangguniang Panlungsod session, the majority amended the resolution of Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez approving the AIP submitted by Mayor Belen Fernandez in the amount of P2.188 billion, reducing it to just P1.169 billion

Asked by newsmen how important is the AIP, Valle said without it passed and approved, nothing can be spent from the city’s annual budget.

The minority objected to the amended resolution introduced by Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia, and this was promptly resolved in a 7-5 vote in favor of the majority. His colleagues who voted for the measure were Celia Lim, Alfie Fernandez, Librada Macalanda, Alfie Fernandez, Marilou Fernandez and Irene Acosta.

“Mayroon tayong Local Development Council. Sa kanila mangagaling ang resolution na nakatakdang gawin ng ating city executive”, Valle said.

During the March 28 session, Erfe-Mejia said he pruned down the AIP because department heads confirmed to him that funds for some of these were not yet downloaded by national government agencies to LGU Dagupan.

Mayor Fernandez corrected Erfe-Mejia’s interpretation saying that one cannot really find these in the City Treasurer’s office because these are projects promised to her by senators and congressmen who love Dagupan.

She said Congressman Christopher de Venecia promised to deliver two or three ambulances to Dagupan, so these were placed in the AIP of Dagupan for 2023.

Fernandez protested the decision of the 7 councilors in the majority to remove funding for public schools by deleting it from the AIP.

She said because of the unwarranted decision, the Dagupan delegation will have nothing to support it in the forthcoming Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA) meet.

She said the annual city budget without the AIP is unimplementable. (Leonardo Micua)

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