By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
TODAY, Bacolod City’s Mayor Albee Benitez will deliver his much-awaited State of the City Address (SOCA) before the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).
He’s expected to narrate the “major accomplishments” of his administration for the past 365 day anchored on CHANGE as his popular election campaign slogan.
CHANGE can’t escape from public scrutiny. Lots of controversies bugging the present administration will be used as “point of comparison” by many.
Topping the list is the P16-M renovation of the mayor’s office. Allergic to issues, the mayor publicly promised (via a press conference) to personally pay the P16M. But as of press time, it has yet to happen per the City Engineer’s Office (CEO).
Bidding was done and work started already when the issue broke out. Hence, it’s difficult to weather things and procedures at the Commission on Audit (COA) as to the reimbursement matter, a source from the CEO revealed.
HELIPAD FOR WHAT?
Next is the P4.4-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). This includes a proposed legislative building with a helipad.
Asked by many: Helipad for what?
The P279.3-million budget just for furniture and equipment (F&E) for various offices also became controversial.
City Information Officer Carmela Arcolas-Gamboa was “publicly criticized” when she prematurely announced that the P279.3 million was for the mayor’s office alone.
Later, she issued a rectification. But the issue had already blown out of proportion, forcing Mayor Albee to task councilors Thaddy Sayson and Al Victor Espino to “put out the fire”.
Annexing the loan issue is the proposed tax hike in the city. Per report, City Treasurer Arlene Memoria proposed the tax increase. Her letter was endorsed by Mayor Albee to the SP for appropriate action.
Bizmen, however, raised their eyebrows. They tagged the proposed tax hike “unpalatable”, considering the current economic situation.
The mayor “backtracked”. He asked the SP members to carefully review the proposal.
‘SORRY STATE’
Too, it can’t be denied that crimes, illegal drugs, traffic congestion, and garbage (basura) in the city remain “incurable headaches”.
The city’s current peace and order are in a “fickle” status. The appointment (in haste) of Colonel Noel Aliño was proof of it.
The high-profile murder of lawyer Dan Pondevilla, general manager of Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco), on Lacson street in December last year remains unresolved.
The series of “wigit kamot, tiil kag bangkay” in the past six months rattled the mayor and the police.
Worse, is the proliferation of illegal drugs, especially shabu. Since July of last year, monthly raids net millions of peso worth.
The two latest police antidrug operations yielded P5.5M and P1.7M of shabu, respectively.
‘DISASTER IN THE OFFING’
The present administration is also weathering “public angst” re: “zero billing” and “free housing” pakulo.
“Zero billing” was supposedly for the well-publicized Bacolod City Health Insurance Program (BacCHP). The kick-off of the program was relatively good. Later, however, the city realized it ain’t doable, rather a “disaster in the offing”.
Per info, the city already set a cap of P15,000 /year (as hospitalization aid) for each BacCHP card holder.
Urban poor in Bacolod also expressed dismay over the housing program.
During the campaign period for the 2022 elections, Mayor Albee’s group bantering line was “Balay mo, sabat ko”.
Will it ever happen? The city’s housing program via “Yuhum Residences” ain’t for free. Instead, the identified beneficiaries must go through lots of processes, and one of them is to enroll at the Pag-IBIG Fund. If qualified, they’ll shell out money for equity and pay a monthly amortization of P3,000 to P3,500.
“Indi kami ka sarang sina,” chorused by squatters from Barangay Banago who are members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) .
CHANGE LOSES AURA
The promises anchored on the CHANGE slogan seem to be like “spaghetti wires”. Get rid of these in the administration’s first 100 days? Alas, only in downtown
Previously, CHANGE was kinda “sweet and romantic” for Bacolodnons. Now, it has lost its “sense and aura”.
CHANGE? What CHANGE?/PN
