Pro-Espino’s BMs Capitulate to Guico

 NO MORE MAJORITY-MINORITY  - BM

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Despite dominating more seats in the provincial legislature by allies of former Governor Amado Espino, III, a member of the minority identified with Governor Ramon Guico, III said that his allies did not experience lawmaking gridlock as the majority capitulated with the new dispensation.

 Board Member Vici Ventanilla told Northern Watch Newspaper that there is no more majority and minority among the members because of the leadership of newly elected Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III who persuaded the supposed majority to support him.

 BOARD MEMBER Vice Ventanilla (left photo and clockwise), Board Members Jerry Agerico Rosario and Arthur Celeste, Jr.

“Actually kasi iyong unang una na nag samasama sa (provincial) board. So kaya lang wala na ang majority –minority. So iisa na lang kami. Naniniwala kami sa administrasyon ni Governor Ramon Guico, III at least masasabi natin na merong direction ang Pangasinan basi doon sa mga nilatag na mga plano,” he explained.

After the May 9, 2022 election, the equation in the lawmaking body was 12 board members – that included the two ex-oficios from the League of Barangays and Samahang Kabataan - identified with former Governor Amado Espino, III and five BMs – including the ex-oficio from the Philippines Councilors’ League-Pangasinan - with Guico.

Newly elected Board Member Jerry Agerico Rosario cited that all the members of the august chamber cooperate in the legislative works.

“Wala namang issue nagkaroon ng friction. Parang okay naman iyong mga sinasabi ni Gob mga treatment. So far smooth sailing lahat”.

Board Member Arthur Celeste, Jr. – the ex-oficio representative of the PCL – Pangasinan - said there is no political color that dichotomize the members of the SP despite the majority hailed under the ticket of former Governor Espino who lost by 187,465 votes to Guico in the May 9, 2022 gubernatorial derby.

“Tapos maganda naman ang nakikita ko parang wala talaga if they are asked question… as in there is no more political color”.

Because of the cooperation showed by the members of the lawmaking body, they expeditiously approved the P5.3 billion budget for year 2023.

BM Ventanilla said it is 14 percent less of the P6 billion budget for this year.

This ensued because of the law in the Local Government Code that the national allocation of taxes for every local government unit would come three years before the appropriation for the present year. The basis was 2020 the year the country reeled financially on the scourged of the pandemic.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, due to the drop in tax revenues collected by the government in 2020 at the onset of the Corona Virus Disease - 19 pandemic local governments’ share in the proposed 2023 national budget will be reduced to P820.3 billion,

“Malaki iyong sa personnel services and aside from that may existing loan ang past (Espino) administration, so maliit na lang kung baga,” Ventanilla disclosed on the status of the next year’s minuscule provincial budget.

To spike the collection of the local taxes, Guico requested the provincial board to approve the new tax revenue code with new schedules of increases on real properties to buttress its administration appropriations.

The members of the provincial legislature visited the Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Pampanga to adapt its best practices like how to raise the local revenues.

“Iyong mga ginagawa nilang legislative measures iyong mga paraan kung paano sila nakapag raise ng P2.2 billion from 2019 to 2022. So considering Pampanga mayaman sa buhangin sa lahar pero mas mayaman tayo”.

Despite its being smaller in size than Pangasinan province, it has the same budget of P6 billion this year with the LGU of Pangasinan.

By regulating the sand and gravel enterprises, the provincial government could set-off the decrease on its share of the national taxes.

The Local Government Code (Republic Act RA No. 7160) provides that LGUs shall have a forty percent (40%) share in the national internal revenue taxes (NIRT) based on the collection of the third fiscal year preceding the current fiscal year.