Stalemate between Dagupan Mayor and Dads sizzles

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez held a year-end meeting with all department heads on December 28 where she briefed them on what to do if the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) fails to pass the 2016 annual budget of P768 million  by January this year.

In that meeting, she urged department heads to properly use their 2015 Project Procurement Management Plan (PPMP) in accordance with what the law dictates if the city has no new annual budget by next month.

The proposed 2016 annual budget of P768 million is P77 higher than the 2015 annual budget of P691 million.

Fernandez is however confident that the SP will be able to pass the proposed annual budget so the city government will not suffer much financial woes at the start of the New Year.

“I have faith on the wisdom of the SP that it will eventually approve our city’s 2016 budget as this will redound to the benefit of our city and people,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez expressed fear that if the city operates on a reenacted budget, there will be delay in the delivery of services like the implementation of infrastructure projects as well as the salary standardization for regular employees, and a good number of job order employees will lose their jobs.

Moreover, the city’s good financial housekeeping status  will not be maintained, thus it may lose its chance to win anew the Seal of Good Governance (SGG) and the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) of P5 million.

In anticipation of a reenacted budget, Fernandez urged all department heads to follow the legal flow in processing their PPMP.

She reiterated the procedures that there must be an appropriation first before a request form for procurement of goods and services is charged from their PPMP and for department heads to attach a proposal or budgetary requirements duly approved by the mayor.

Also, they must submit an accomplished purchase request before the City Budget Office will certify as to the availability of appropriation duly signed by the Budget Officer then it will be submitted to the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to undergo the bidding process.

“After the bidding, accomplish a purchase order before the delivery of goods or items is made. If the goods or items are delivered, prepare an accomplished inspection and acceptance report and an accomplished disbursement voucher to enable the City Treasurer’s Office to prepare the check or cash disbursement for release,” said Budget Officer Luz de Guzman. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/Dec. 28, 2015)