THE Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed an ordinance on October 14 authorizing a  P1.83 billion budget for the city in 2026.

Draft Ordinance No. 0-038, authored by Councilor Jeslito Seen, chair of the committee on finance, budget and appropriations, and Floor Leader Michael Fernandez, was passed soon after the SP approved the city’s Annual Investment Program (AIP) and its accompanying integral plans for next year in the amount of P1.663 billion.

Also passed were the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program funded at P92 million, authored by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, and the Local Development and Investment Plan for Children (LDYPC) for 2026, authored by Councilor Christel Hilary Paras.

Fernandez said next year’s budget will fund the following:

• Scholarship program for 6,000 students from the ranks of the poor, with P246 million;
• 20% development fund of P212 million earmarked for 30 projects, including school buildings, flood mitigation projects that include improvement of barangay roads and construction of their wider drainage system;
• increased salary and additional benefits of city government personnel, salaries of Job Order Employees, increased allowances of volunteer workers such as Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Tanod, Nutrition Scholars and Service Point Officers;
• acquisition of six  more dump trucks for garbage collection and another heavy-duty water pump for floodwaters; and
• increased budget for medicines, among other items.

With the SP composed of 11 councilors allied with Mayor Belen Fernandez, the annual budget was passed more than two months ahead of the scheduled deadline under the Local Government Code.

Lone opposition Councilor Librada Reyna joined the super majority councilors in the early passage of the 2026 budget after clarifying some points from Floor Leader Fernandez.

As to the question of Reyna, why only P15.5 million was allotted as aid to the 31 barangays, Liga ng mga Barangay president and Councilor Lino Fernandez said the mayor vowed that another P15.5 million will be distributed to the barangays in the 2026 first quarter supplemental budget.

Reyna was the majority floor leader of the opposition-dominated SP in the previous three years, during which the annual budget was always delayed. She was singing a different tune this time when she said, “We all know that the  budget is the lifeblood of any government.” (Leonardo Micua)