Dagupan registers highest budget surplus ever

 

DAGUPAN CITY – For the first time, Dagupan registered more than P53 million budget surplus which is considered as the highest ever recorded in the city’s fiscal history.

 

This was disclosed by City Budget Officer Luz De Guzman who admitted that the surplus was due to the cost-cutting measures and enhanced collection of taxes implemented without tax increase by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez from the time she assumed office in 2013.

 

“I am happy to report that with our enhanced collection of taxes in the city, we have exceeded the estimated collection in 2014 and with the cost-cutting measures implemented by Mayor Belen which resulted in the reduction of overtime pay and other office expenses, we are now enjoying more than P53 million surplus, which would mean more projects for the city,” De Guzman said.

 

Accordingly, the more than P53 million 2014 surplus has been made part of the P65.3 million Supplemental Budget No. 01 for Fiscal Year 2015, which was recently approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

 

The amount will cover the cost of several infrastructure projects due to be implemented this year like the Women Center; the construction of 4-storey evacuation center at Barangay Salapingao; the construction of sanitary toilets in Pugaro and Calmay; the elevation of roads and drainage system in Pantal, Puelay and Caranglaan; the construction of Multi-Functional Covered Court Gymnasium at Dagupan City National High School (DCNHS); the construction of 3-storey 9 classrooms School Building for Senior High School; purchase of two (2) units of coaster for the city, two (2) units of motor vehicle,  four (4) units of motorcycles for Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) and 10 units of garongs for Waste Management Division; upgrading of PCCP pavement with drainage system at DCNHS; various equipment for the GEO-Tagging project for City Agriculture Office, and others. (CIO)