ACTING Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said Sunday that he has requested the City Council through Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran to conduct a special session today in relation to his request for the City Council to grant authority to Acting City Administrator Goldwyn Nifras as co-signatory of checks. This is very urgent as the city has deadlines to meet for its financial obligations particularly to its regular employees, utility bills which are chargeable to Land Bank of the Philippines, and also the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) whose withholding tax has a deadline of December 10, 2015. “These are reasons why we need the City Council’s action on the matter for us to catch up with those financial obligations of the city,” Gasataya said. He said his request is grounded on Section 16 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandates the local government units to exercise their power which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare of the people. Last November 25, Gasataya requested the City Council to designate Nifras as one of the two additional signatories of the checks issued by the City of Bacolod but his request was not acted upon by the City Council. The City Council had earlier passed a resolution requesting the Philippine National Bank to clarify its rules and regulations covering accounts of local government units which is needed to clarify and settle claims raised by Nifras himself that he could sign city government checks under its existing PNB account even without the City Council’s authorization. Terminated JOs Gasataya said the retention of the job order (JO) employees will still depend on the recommendation of their respective department heads. He said some of the 52 terminated street cleaners went to the office of the Department of Public Services (DPS) and clarified their job designation. The 52 street cleaners under the DPS were terminated due to their poor performance, based on the foreman’s assessment. Their termination created an issue as they insisted that their appointment is not only until November 30 but until December 31 as signed by suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella. Gasataya said a few of the street cleaners already updated their assignments and their return will depend on the recommendation of their department heads. “I hope the department heads can already have the exact figure of how many employees will be retained in their respective offices,” he added. Gasataya said more than 200 traffic enforcers were also retained through the recommendation of Superintendent Levy Pangue, officer-in-charge of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office. The traffic enforcers are doing their job on the streets, based on the observation of Pangue last week. “There’s nothing wrong with them,” said Gasataya, who assigned 60 more traffic enforcers to man the streets especially during rush hours.
0 Comments
Did councilors allied with suspended Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella snub the 3 p.m. special session yesterday requested by acting Mayor Greg Gasataya to authorize acting City Administrator Goldwyn Nifras as co-signatory of checks issued by the city? Only Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito, Roberto Rojas and Archie Baribar showed up during the special session presided over by acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran yesterday that started at about 3:45 p.m. and was adjourned before 4 p.m. Gasataya recalled that there was supposed to be an executive-legislative caucus Wednesday, but he was informed by Familiaran that this was cancelled at the last minute. The councilors allied with Puentevella reportedly claimed that they had a prior appointment with the suspended mayor. Vicente Petierre lll, Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Secretary, yesterday said he sent out notices to the councilors Saturday and also made a follow-up through text messages. Some of them responded that they cannot attend the special session, he said. The request of Gasataya to authorize Nifras as co-signatory of checks has been pending for almost three weeks, and the special session yesterday was the fourth time his request was deferred by the SP and this time, for lack of quorum. PENALTIES FOR THE CITY Gasataya said he requested for a special session because of urgent concerns the city needs to act on, like its remittances to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which, if not paid by Thursday, will entail penalties to the city amounting to 42 percent of the total amount, which could run to millions of pesos. They also need to release the salaries of regular employees, pay the share of the barangays in the real property taxes collection of the city for November, and other obligations that will be drawn against Land Bank of the Philippines, that requires authorization from the SP, he said. Gasataya reiterated his appeal to the SP to act on his request “in the spirit of public service and for the continuity of governance.” Before the special session was adjourned, Distrito moved to make a manifestation, but Baribar insisted that since there was no quorum, there was no basis for any manifestation. Distrito pointed out that as a member of the SP he has the right to make a manifestation just like the way Baribar was earlier acknowledged when he also made a manifestation. NOTICES QUESTIONED Baribar said that is the consequence of having a notice in so short a time. He said he believes they should not be spending government time and money when there is no quorum or business to take up. He said he received his notice Sunday afternoon, although he also received a text message Saturday afternoon. However, under the rules, a text message is not binding. What is binding is a written notice from the acting mayor, he added. Baribar said a special written notice should be given 48 hours before the session and it should specify the agenda. Distrito pointed out that, based on the internal rules of the Local Government Code on the matter of special sessions, a written notice to the members of the SP stating the date, time and place of the meeting, should be served personally or left with members of his household 24 hours before the special session. He said that under Section 345 of the LGC, it is only the city administrator who can counter-sign a check drawn by the city treasurer. In the Supreme Court case of “Atienza versus Commission on Audit” it is very clear that the city mayor is not authorized to sign, he added. SURCHARGES, TOO Distrito said if Nifras is not given authority to sign, the city will be paying surcharges and penalties if it cannot pay its obligations on time. The salaries of about regular and plantilla casual employees will also be affected, as well as the financial assistance to indigents, funeral expenses, monthly bills, gasoline of ambulances, rescue, city engineer's and police cars, Christmas benefits of teachers, senior citizens, barangay and the salaries of teachers of the city-owned Bacolod City College, he said. If the employees fail to pay their remittances to Pag-Ibig, who will pay for the penalties? Distrito asked. If they want the city to be paralyzed, let the public decide, he said. Rojas said this is the first time this happened. He recalled that when Mayor Puentevella called for a special session on a Sunday because of a typhoon, they even attended it and approved his request. ALSO A CALAMITY Ang said the request of Gasataya is equivalent to a calamity also because it has very serious implications in governance and very serious repercussions as far as the delivery of basic services, and as far as the administration of the city is concerned. “The services of the city will be paralyzed to the detriment and the prejudice of our constituents. This is a bad time for politicking. We should set politics and elections aside because this will affect the whole city,” she said. City Treasurer Giovanni Balalilhi said there are communications from the Department of Interior and Local Government that the city administrator has the mandate to co-sign, but the LBP will not accommodate checks signed by Nifras. Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said that before they can act on the request of Gasataya to authorize Nifras, the acting city administrator requested for the appearance of the city treasurer and city accountants since he cannot answer all their queries. Since Balalilhi did not appear during the last session, they will request him to return tomorrow together with the budget officer to shed light on the dormant accounts and existing accounts of the city with other banks.* Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya has requested the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod to conduct a special session today on his request to authorize acting City Administrator Goldwyn Nifras as co-signatory of checks issued by the city.
This is because the December 10 deadline for the city to pay its withholding tax to the Bureau of Internal Revenue is drawing near. Gasataya said the request was made through acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and they hope the SP will take action this time. He also wrote the SP previously during the November 25 session. They are worried since the city has many financial obligations, particularly to its regular employees, as well as utility bills that are chargeable to the Land Bank of the Philippines, and withholding taxes to the BIR, he said. Gasataya said the salaries of employees and taxes are drawn from h LBP, where the Internal Revenue Allotment of the city is deposited. They have already submitted the required documents to the SP and if there are things that need clarification, they are willing to enlighten them, he said. He pointed out that they sent the SP the same letter that suspended Mayor Monico Puentevella had submitted when he appointed then acting city administrator Jerome Solinap to counter-sign checks. Nifras recalled that the SP approved the request of Puentevella in a special session without any problem. Earlier, the SP approved a resolution requesting the manager of the Philippine National Bank to furnish the Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod the regulation of banks on clearing checks drawn against the account of the City of Bacolod authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. The SP noted that Philippine National Bank had cleared check no, 000111582 drawn against the account of the city last November 24 for P799,497.57. It also said the members of the SP would like to inquire about the veracity of the clearing of the check pending approval by the SP of the resolution designating Nifras as co-signatory for checks against the account of the City of Bacolod. Nifras said the checks were brought to him by the City Treasurer to be signed under the PNB account. He said their financial officials explained to him that it is only the LBP that requires an authority from the SP. All other banks follow the mandate of the Local Government Code, particularly Section 345. During their November 25 session, Nifras told members of the SP that his authority came from his valid appointment and the provisions of Art. 345 of the Local Government Code. He said it is expressly provided in Section 345 of the Local Government Code that the city administrator will counter-sign checks signed by the City Treasurer. Nifras said if he has no authority he cannot counter-sign checks. Even if he counter-signs checks, his signature will not be honored by LBP. This means that the city cannot pay its obligations with LBP checks, he said. It is the City Treasurer who signs checks and this is forwarded to him for his counter-signature, Nifras said. He said Gasataya mentioned that among the obligations to be paid by the city using LBP checks are its remittances to the BIR, that is being done every 10 th day of the following month. If the city cannot pay its obligation to the BIR on December 10, the bank will impose penalties and surcharges against the city amounting to about P4 million, he added. Nifras said he hopes that the SP members who are blocking his authorization to sign checks are cognizant of this.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star December 7, 2015 sgg THE City Government of Bacolod marked the 152nd birth anniversary of Philippine hero Andres Bonifacio Monday. Acting Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya, acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Councilors Sonya Verdeflor and Em Ang led the celebration at the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School in Bacolod City. They offered wreath to the statue of the national hero. Gasataya lauded Bonifacio for what he did for the country and the Filipino people. His works are worthy of emulation, he added. Partido Dungganon, a local electoral political party in Bacolod, also marked the Bonifacio Day in time for their party’s 3rd founding anniversary Monday. Inspired by Bonifacio’s principles of honor, patriotism and integrity, Partido Dungganon was conceived and developed by a score of community and sectoral leaders in Bacolod to promote politics of issues, platform and change as against the politics of personality, patronage, money and status quo of the traditional politicians from elite political families and clans, the group said.(CNC) Bacolod City Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran’s ownership of a stall in Manokan Country has raised questions on his objectivity regarding the proposed sale of the go-to place for grilled chicken lovers. Familiaran owns a stall in the 1.7-hectare property owned by the city government, which suspended mayor Monico Puentevella wanted to be sold. Laying the argument on conflict of interest, Vladimir Gonzales, Familiaran’s opponent in next year’s vice mayoral race, said in a report by Panay News that the acting vice mayor’s impartiality will be put to test once the city council votes on the property sale. Gonzales noted that under the rules, the vice mayor, being the presiding officer of the City Council, is the swing vote in case of a tie. Gonzales also assailed the city government’s “bias” for Familiaran, who was reportedly paying a monthly rent of only P1,200, while others were paying more than P2,000 a month. But Familiaran said his acquisition of the stall in 2006 went through the right process and that his monthly rent was lower than the others because he paid for the construction of the stall. BACOLOD City – Acting Bacolod City Vice-Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the Sangguniang Panlungsod is awaiting the report of the finance committee headed by Councilor Claudio Puentevella the reason why the 2016 budget of the city government has yet to be taken up by the council. Familiaran said with the way things are going, it is most likely that the city government will have a re-enacted budget for 2016 if the proposed P1.6-billion budget is not approved before this year ends. The 2015 annual budget is P1.55 billion. Familiaran stressed that they are mandated to approve the annual budget before yearend. He also pointed out that Puentevella has yet to conduct public hearings on the proposed 2016 budget. “The public hearings will be for purposes of a supplemental budget because the SP cannot propose additional budgets if departments and offices have concerns that were not included in their request for inclusion in the budget for 2016,” he added. If the budget is not passed before January 1, 2016, the city will operate on a reenacted budget which will hamper new projects. Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., said the SP has until March to approve the 2016 annual budget. Gamboa pointed out that any possible delay in the approval of the budget may be due to the series of public hearings needed to discuss several revisions that other legislative members have requested especially the opposition allied with acting Mayor Greg Gasataya. Gamboa added that the change in the administration, following the suspension of Mayor Monico Puenetevella, affected the approval of the 2016 budget because the city is currently making its adjustment to the current administration. About 53 percent of the proposed 2016 general fund budget will be funded from the Internal Revenue Allocation share of the city while the remaining 47 percent will be taken from the projected income that the city will generate from its tax and non-tax revenue collections. By: Dolly Yasa |
Categories
All
|