Dagupan SP majority rejects supplemental budget anew
THE seven-member majority bloc in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) again rejected the passage of the long pending Supplemental Budget No. 2-2024 when it objected to a motion of the minority to include the measure in the agenda for the August 12 regular session.
Councilor and Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez moved for the inclusion of the P457 million supplemental budget, filed in April this year, reminding the majority that the resolution they recently approved – to institutionalize the positions of waste managers and a waste work force in every barangay of the city – can only be supported by the supplemental budget.
He said Ordinance No. 0-869 authored by Councilor Alvin Coquia cannot be effective and efficient without the much-needed equipment proposed to be funded by the supplemental budget.
Coquia and the six other majority members — Councilors Redford Erfe-Mejia, Alfie Fernandez, Librada Reyna, Celia Lim, Marilou Fernandez and Irene Acosta-Lim — declined to include the budget asserting their view that it is a violation of their written manifestation earlier given to the members of the minority bloc, that no suspension of the rules can be made in any part of the regular session.
The proposed supplemental budget is intended for the repair of an existing dilapidated backhoe at P1.67 million; rehabilitation of the Dagupan dumpsite, P20 million; and the purchase of a new backhoe (P7.5 million), pay loader (P8.3 million), and four garbage trucks (P14 million).
Fernandez said the approval of the supplemental budget would have been the compromise to the SP majority’s Draft Ordinance No. 0-869, noting that the council actually cannot upgrade the positions of garbage collectors to waste managers and members of a waste workforce and provide them increased allowances as this is the responsibility of the barangays where they are employed.
He added that there are no resolutions from the barangays seeking or endorsing the creation of such positions. What the barangay captains requested, as members of the Local Development Council, is the approval of the supplemental budget.
After a heated debate with Fernandez and in consultation with other members of the SP majority, Erfe-Mejia moved to withdraw Draft Ordinance No. 0-869, which will be refined and refiled. (Leonardo Micua)
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