ILOILO City – Mayor Jose Espinosa III fears his proposed 2019 city government budget of P2.319 billion would be rejected by the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) majority members who are not his political party-mates. The proposed budget is slightly higher than this year’s P2.212-billion budget.
The SP appropriations committee will next week hold marathon hearings on the proposed budget more than 56.2 percent of which would be sourced from local taxes, equivalent to P1.303 billion; and 43.4 percent from the city’s Internal Revenue Allotment worth P1.005 billion.
Espinosa said the city’s budget must be spared from political machinations.
Just last week, two key SP allies of the mayor were stripped of their positions and committee chairmanships – former majority floor leader and appropriations committee chairman Eduardo Peñaredondo and assistant floor leader R Leone Gerochi.
The appropriations committee is now chaired by Councilor Plaridel Nava who sponsored the resolution declaring Peñaredondo’s and Gerochi’s posts vacant.
Peñaredondo is seeking reelection under Espinosa’s Nacionalista Party while Gerochi is the mayor’s running mate for vice mayor in the 2019 midterm elections.
Nava is running for vice mayor.
“May balita nga ang proposed budget i-punggan, ipton ang mga proyekto,” said Espinosa yesterday.
Nava warned the SP would turn down the proposed budget if it would be used for political purposes.
“Kun para sa tawo ang budget, we will give 100 percent our support,” said Nava.
According to Espinosa, general services would be given the chunk of the budget at 51.3 percent; social services, 32.2 percent; and economic services, 16.5 percent.
Of the total proposed budget, personnel services get 34.5 percent (P799.332 million); Miscellaneous and Other Operating Expenses, 29.4 percent (P683.10 million); special purpose appropriation, P812.133 million; and capital outlay, P24 million.
On the other hand, the Local Economic Enterprise Office is getting P77.172 million, 2.7 percent higher than this year’s P75.138 million.
“As mayor…I will defend the executive budget,” said Espinosa.
He denied the proposed budget is designed for election purposes.
“They are the ones saying it, not I,” said Espinosa.
But just in case the proposed budget is rejected, the mayor said he is prepared to take steps.
“It will be announced kun matabo na. Ti wala pa man, gahambal pa man lang sila. Wala pa man resulta. Basi malugpayan man sila,” he said.
Citing “loss of control and confidence”, majority of the SP members stripped Peñaredondo and Gerochi of their committee chairmanships.
“We, the undersigned of the SP comprising the majority, have lost our control and confidence to the leadership of the incumbent sitting and current majority floor leader and assistant, and likewise their ability to lead and chair their respective significant and vital committees,” part of the SP resolution read.
Of the eight councilors who voted oust Peñaredondo and Gerochi, six were allies of Cong. Jerry Treñas who is running for mayor against Espinosa.
Interestingly, the resolution was sponsored by opposition councilor Nava who is not an ally of Treñas, and backed by another opposition SP member, Joshua Alim.
The six Treñas SP allies were councilors Jose Efrain Treñas, Lady Julie Grace Baronda, Ely Estante, Armand Parcon, ex-officio member Maria Irene Ong, and Sangguniang Kabataan city federation president Leila Luntao.
Aside from being booted out as majority floor leader, Peñaredondo was also removed as chairman of the following committees: rules, energy and public utilities; appropriations; urban planning, housing, and land development, zoning, expropriation, assessment and land acquisitions.
Gerochi, on the other hand, was removed as assistant floor leader and as chairman of the committee on transportation, energy and public utilities.
Those who sided with Peñaredondo and Gerochi were councilors Leizl Joy Zulueta, Candice Magdalene Tupas and Lyndon Acap, all reelectionists in the slate of Espinosa.
“We feel there is a need to free these significant and vital committees from any form of political influence, pressure and consideration and importantly, we need to institute reforms and positive innovations within the committee level, and thus, the reorganization is imperative, pressing and practicable to ensure the effectively delivery of public service to our constituents without regard to self-serving interests and political color,” read part of the SP resolution.
Nava was elected as new majority floor leader. He was also voted to chair the committees on appropriations; rules, energy and public utilities; and transportation, energy and public utilities.
Baronda was elected the new assistant floor leader while Treñas was made the chairman of the committee on urban planning, housing, and land development, zoning, expropriation, and assessment./PN
