DBM says Dagupan’s 2025 budget meets ‘substantial compliance’
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the review of Dagupan’s P1.6 billion 2025 budget “reveals substantial compliance with Republic Act 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) and its implementing rules and regulations and other applicable laws, rules and regulations,” except for two items.
Luz de Guzman, chief of staff of Mayor Belen Fernandez and a former budget officer of the city, said DBM Regional Director Ria Bansigan, in a letter dated January 20, 2025, declared the 2025 budget under Appropriation Ordinance No. 2301-2024 “as technically operative in its entirety”.
One of the two items that were exempted was the appropriation for the compensation adjustment of employees covering the period January to August 2025 computed based on Second Tranche of the Modified Salary Schedule for Civilian Government Personnel.
Bansigan said the implementation of the First Tranche Salary Schedule shall “be effective for a period of not less than one year from the date of approval of the appropriation ordinance authorizing the supplemental budget.
De Guzman told the PUNCH that no law was violated since no employee of the Dagupan City government had been paid by the First Tranche of Salary Schedule since January 1, 2025, and will only receive such compensation adjustment after August this year.
The second exception to the 2025 annual budget flagged by the DBM was a P500,000 appropriation for Intelligence Expenses under the Peace and Order Council Program.
The DBM noted: “LGUs, whose peace and order is a priority concern and which have duly allocated confidential fund, but not intelligence fund in their annual appropriation ordinances, provided that, specific amount of Peace and Order Programs is included in their Peace and Order and Public Safety Plan, and provided further, that there is specific appropriation for POP in their annual budget.”
DBM also, on the matter of propriety and validity of the Appropriation Ordinance, it is beyond the budget review for the DBM. (Leonardo Micua)
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