THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has told the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) that it cannot take up other concerns until they approved the 2016 budget. This opinion of DILG, which was enunciated by DILG-Bacolod Director Cherryl Tacda, was in answer to the January 11, 2016 letter of acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran asking if the SP can tackle other matters pending the approval of the proposed P1.8 billion 2016 General Fund budget. Councilor Claudio Jesus Raymundo “Kalaw” Puentevella, chairman of the SP Committee on Finance, still needs to conduct two more budget hearings before submitting his committee report for deliberation by the city council. Familiaran asked the opinion of the DILG-Bacolod director in relation to Section 323 (Failure to Enact the Annual Appropriations) of the Local Government Code of 1991, particularly with respect to its provision pertinent to the present problem with the approval of the 2016 annual budget. Section 323 states that “in case the Sanggunian concerned fails to pass the ordinance authorizing the annual appropriation at the beginning of the ensuing fiscal year, it shall continue to hold sessions without additional remuneration for its members until such ordinance is approved, and no other business may be taken up during such sessions.” Tacda explained that based on the legal opinion of DILG Director III Jesus Doque IV, Section 323 of the LGC needs no further explanation as it clearly states that “no other business may be taken up during the sessions if the SP fails to pass an ordinance authorizing the annual budget.” Familiaran, in his letter to the DILG, said he is worried over the city’s governmental function without the 2016 budget, as continuing delay of its approval will jeopardize urgent basic services for the people. As of January 13, 2016, Familiaran said the SP has recorded 40 requests pending for discussion by the city council./WDJ By Glazyl Jane Marie Y. Masculino
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