IT’s over three months since the Ubay annual budget for this year amounting to over P451 million was presented for approval in second week of January 2025 but it remains not approved by the Sangguniang Bayan even if the majority wanted it okayed.
Last termer Mayor Constantino Reyes confirmed this in media interview after the inauguration of PureGold superstore in this town recently.
He said he was wondering why it was not approved by the SB and he was informed that it appeared it was due to the vehement opposition of the vice-mayor Victor Bonghanoy.
Bonghanoy was the vice-mayoralty of Reyes in past terms, now he, referring to Vice Mayor Bonghanoy is gunning for mayor against the wife of the mayor, incumbent councilor Violy D. Reyes in May 12 elections.
The mayor said that all the programs and projects for this year are affected, including those casual employees of the office of the vice-mayor.
Right now, the town is operating its usual programs and activities via the 2024 annual budget. It was learned that when there’s no approved annual budget for the current year until the first quarter of the year, the preceding budget is automatically enacted and operates.
The report earlier published pointed out that the P451 million budget for Ubay this year has been held hostage at the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) due to Vice Mayor Victor Bonghanoy’s strong opposition to the passing of the ordinance.
Despite the reported repeated motion for its approval, the vice-mayor allegedly refused to rule like dividing the house for proper voting.
“Bonghanoy stated that further discussions are needed through the committee of the whole before approving the budget, citing questionable allocations in some programs outlined in the proposed annual budget. A scheduled committee meeting failed due to the lack of a quorum,” the report said.
“However, the chairman of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, Councilor Nardo Vallecera, explained that the committee meeting is no longer necessary since the proposal for the annual budget had already been approved at the committee level. He also clarified that in the last committee meeting, only committee members were called, as opposition councilors refused to attend,” the said news report said.
“Despite this, Bonghanoy insisted on holding another meeting with the committee of the whole.”
The report said “Due to Bonghanoy’s refusal to rule on the approval of the budget, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) intervened. Atty. Karen Ann Beniga, the Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) of Ubay, urged SB members, especially Bonghanoy, to follow parliamentary procedures in the discussion regarding the disputed 2025 annual budget.”
This writer tried to get the side of the vice-mayor but to no avail. (rvo)
