ANGELES CITY- Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting said yesterday she suspected bankruptcy of the city government as the real reason why Mayor Francis Nepomuceno has refused to recognize a state of calamity the city council declared here last Tuesday.
Vega-Cabigting and some members of the city council insisted that this city is now under a state of calamity as they officially declared so last Tuesday amid erosion threat to some P500-million worth of properties particularly in the local tourism district in Barangay Balibago.
But the P50-million calamity fund remained on hold as of yesterday as Nepomuceno’s camp insisted irregularities in the declaration.
Vega-Cabigting, presiding officer of the city council, expressed her suspicion that the refusal of Nepomuceno to acknowledge the declaration was meant to hide the city government’s bankruptcy.
“I suspect bankruptcy since the city could not even pay the P60 million it owes to the sanitary landfill in Tarlac that’s why our local garbage is piling up,” she said.
Nepomuceno could not be reached but city government spokesperson Joven Esteban told Punto that the mayor questioned the legitimacy of the calamity declaration, saying that such a declaration should not come in the form of a mere resolution and not an ordinance. Esteban also questioned the quorum of councilors when the resolution was passed.
Vega-Cabigting, however, noted that Republic Act No. 8185 authorizes provincial, city or municipal councils to declare a state of calamity on its own. She also insisted there was a quorum in the city council when the resolution was passed last Tuesday.
“As for the claim that a mere resolution is not adequate, I am citing a precedent just last year when such a similar declaration was made through a resolution and was honored,” she added.
Since last month, freak weather experienced in this city, including Clark Freeport, have dislodged unusual volumes of rain waters that have seriously eroded the banks of the Balibago creek. Some P80-million worth of properties, mostly tourism oriented, have already been eroded into the creek amid estimates of barangay chairman Tony Mamac that some P500 million more of properties are now under threat.
Pres. Arroyo visited the threatened site last Monday. Office of External Affairs Sec. Edgardo Pamintuan said the President acted as mediator between conflicting parties during her visit and asked Public Works Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane to help curb the threat.
Pamintuan cited estimates that some P153 million would be needed for permanent structures to prevent further erosion in the Balibago creek.
Vega-Cabigting recalled that during the President’s visit that Nepomuceno vowed to use the P50-million calamity fund as its contribution to the amount needed, even as affected businessmen also promised to meet and come out with their own share.
Esteban said, however, that Nepomuceno was not against the use of calamity funds for local emergencies, but that he first wanted a more detailed report from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to justify the use of the funds.
Esteban also noted that the entire P50-million calamity fund should not be used entirely for the Balibago creek amid demand from other barangay chairmen affected by the Abacan River for some share amid similar erosion threats in their areas.
Vega-Cabigting said that she and the city council had inspected the Balibago creek, the damage its erosion had caused and assessed the continuing threat before they declared a state of calamity in this city.
Vega-Cabigting and some members of the city council insisted that this city is now under a state of calamity as they officially declared so last Tuesday amid erosion threat to some P500-million worth of properties particularly in the local tourism district in Barangay Balibago.
But the P50-million calamity fund remained on hold as of yesterday as Nepomuceno’s camp insisted irregularities in the declaration.
Vega-Cabigting, presiding officer of the city council, expressed her suspicion that the refusal of Nepomuceno to acknowledge the declaration was meant to hide the city government’s bankruptcy.
“I suspect bankruptcy since the city could not even pay the P60 million it owes to the sanitary landfill in Tarlac that’s why our local garbage is piling up,” she said.
Nepomuceno could not be reached but city government spokesperson Joven Esteban told Punto that the mayor questioned the legitimacy of the calamity declaration, saying that such a declaration should not come in the form of a mere resolution and not an ordinance. Esteban also questioned the quorum of councilors when the resolution was passed.
Vega-Cabigting, however, noted that Republic Act No. 8185 authorizes provincial, city or municipal councils to declare a state of calamity on its own. She also insisted there was a quorum in the city council when the resolution was passed last Tuesday.
“As for the claim that a mere resolution is not adequate, I am citing a precedent just last year when such a similar declaration was made through a resolution and was honored,” she added.
Since last month, freak weather experienced in this city, including Clark Freeport, have dislodged unusual volumes of rain waters that have seriously eroded the banks of the Balibago creek. Some P80-million worth of properties, mostly tourism oriented, have already been eroded into the creek amid estimates of barangay chairman Tony Mamac that some P500 million more of properties are now under threat.
Pres. Arroyo visited the threatened site last Monday. Office of External Affairs Sec. Edgardo Pamintuan said the President acted as mediator between conflicting parties during her visit and asked Public Works Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane to help curb the threat.
Pamintuan cited estimates that some P153 million would be needed for permanent structures to prevent further erosion in the Balibago creek.
Vega-Cabigting recalled that during the President’s visit that Nepomuceno vowed to use the P50-million calamity fund as its contribution to the amount needed, even as affected businessmen also promised to meet and come out with their own share.
Esteban said, however, that Nepomuceno was not against the use of calamity funds for local emergencies, but that he first wanted a more detailed report from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to justify the use of the funds.
Esteban also noted that the entire P50-million calamity fund should not be used entirely for the Balibago creek amid demand from other barangay chairmen affected by the Abacan River for some share amid similar erosion threats in their areas.
Vega-Cabigting said that she and the city council had inspected the Balibago creek, the damage its erosion had caused and assessed the continuing threat before they declared a state of calamity in this city.
