A UNITY prayer rally is set on Monday (March 7, 2022) apparently to pressure the lawmakers of the Sangguniang Bayan of Jagna town to pass the annual budget for this year that has been reportedly stalled for quite some time.
This is the third of peaceful prayer rally initiated by concerned residents here to be held at 9 in the morning at the Jagna Insular Plaza after the same were held last year, according to Bern Condor facebook post.
Included in the demand for SB members to act at once is the passage of the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) which is necessary also for the town to operate and implement its programs, projects and activities.
Municipal councilor Anthony Ranoa Aniscal alleged in his fb post that the majority SB members belonging to the opposition led by Vice-Mayor Abrenilla deliberately delayed the passage of the annual budget for 2022.
The financial assistance in the amount of P5,000 (maximum per family) provided by the national government to alleviate the plight of the typhoon ‘Odette’ victims was included in said budget, Aniscal pointed out.
He said that the fund to the tune of P4,240,000.00 was already downloaded and received by the town
But the said fund cannot be appropriated and distributed to the beneficiaries immediately since this should be inserted in the AIP pursuant to Local Budget Circular No. 141, Aniscal said.
Aniscal also bared that the allocation of P500,000 as aid for each barangay included in the said budget is also hindered for non-approval of the annual budget for 2022.
The TIMES has texted one of the opposition members, councilor Maricris Jamora, who chairs the appropriation committee, but got no reply.
“Sukad sa nilabay nga tuig nga nadawat kini sa SB gikan sa Mayor, 16 ka comiti hearings ang na skedyul na. Apan 4 lang niini ang napahigayon. 12 ang na cancel ky gicancel ni Jamora or nacancel kay wala nakorom ang iyang mga sakop sa SB MAJORITY.”
(Aniscal said that since the documents for the annual budget were submitted by the mayor’s office, there had been 16 scheduled committee meetings, but only four (4 meetings) were done because Jamora cancelled due to lack of quorum).
He said that politics has something to do with the absence of a quorum. But when it comes to other things/activities, such as distribution of NFA rice, others, they’re present based on their fb posts. Why can’t they constitute a quorum? Is this deliberate?
Aniscal said that they’re answerable to the people of Jagna and to God.
Earier, Aniscal said that a lot of typhoon victims have approached the mayor’s office for help, especially they heard there’s financial aid for their destroyed houses battered by the typhoon last December 16, 2021. (rvo)
