Dagupan SP OK’s gratuity pay of workers
OPPOSITION DADS BOYCOTT SPECIAL SESSION
THE new minority at the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) boycotted a special session on December 23 called by Mayor Belen Fernandez for the passage of Supplemental Budget No. 7-2024 that calls for the payment of P5.4 million for the gratuity pay of P7,000 for each job order employee and consultant of the city government.
Their absence resulted in the easy passage of the supplemental budget even after Opposition Councilors Librada Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez and Celia Lim sent a letter to the SP indicating they agreed with the approval of the supplemental budget. When they asked City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo to read their letter, Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer Brian Kua didn’t allow it since it was not part of the agenda.
Invoking the legal opinion of the Department of the interior and Local Government that the three suspended councilors are not included in the determination of a quorum, Majority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez moved for the passage of Supplemental Budget No. 7, and seconded by Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez and Bradley Benavidez.
Fernandez said while the new minority councilors agreed with the holding of the special session and the need for workers to be given their gratuity pay, their physical presence in the session hall was necessary.
It was learned from Assistant City Secretary Ria Manuel that before the start of the session, one of the opposition councilors attempted to lure her into submitting their intent to file privileged leaves without formal applications.
Fernandez said this is another instance of dereliction of duty by the four minority councilors.
Since the 60-day preventive suspension of Councilors Redford Erfe Mejia, Alfie Fernandez and Irene Lim-Acosta at the start of November, the four remaining opposition councilors have either walked out or boycotted every session after reading what they call their written manifestation.
The gratuity pay for job order employees and consultants is provided for in Executive Order No. 8 of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued on December 20,.
He earlier issued EO No. 7 granting a P20,000 Special Recognition Incentive to regular employees in the public sector. (Leonardo Micua)
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