DILG to city govt: Expedite programs to make up for delay
THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 1 advised the Dagupan City government to ‘do everything it can’ in order to accomplish up its programs and projects’ per approved budget
The advisory came after the Sangguniang Panlungsod, on September 26, approved the city’s P1.3 billion annual budget three quarters late for the year of its supposed use.
Speaking at the Kapehan sa RDC last Oct. 2, DILG Regional Director Jonathan Paul Lausen Jr. urged city officials to expedite the implementation of its programs and projects with only three months left before the end of the fiscal year and disbursement or expenditure of public funds for social welfare projects, construction of public works and delivery of materials for public works are prohibited during Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
Sept. 26 showdown at the Session Hall
During the September 26 regular session of the Dagupan SP, the minority bloc pulled off a surprise when minority moved for the inclusion of the annual budget in the session’s agenda at a time when three of seven members of the majority were out of the country, and the remaining four attended virtually.
Only Councilors Librada Macalanda, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez and Redford Erfe-Mejia, all members of the majority, attended virtually and objected to the inclusion of the appropriations ordinance for its second reading in the session in the absence of a committee report.
Councilors Celia Lim, her daughter Irene Lim-Acosta and Alfie Fernandez were on vacation leaves.
They were outvoted by Councilors Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez and Joshua Bugayong, citing a provision in the local government code that allows for the plenary to vote on measures certified as urgent by the local chief executive.
The four majority members participated in the discussion when the measure was submitted for final consideration, but Councilor Erfe-Mejia moved for adjournment which was not acknowledged by the presiding officer. The city budget was then deemed passed on final reading when no objections were further raised by the majority bloc.
Recall that the majority bloc opposed the passage of the annual budget, leaving the Fernandez administration to fall back on a reenacted budget up to the first week of October. (Leonardo Micua)
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