• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday called on the members of the Moises Padilla Municipal Council and the presiding officer, Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor, to “continue talking and try to settle” the issues involving the cut in their budgetary allocation.
Otherwise, there will always be infighting, he said.
Villaflor has questioned the move of the Municipal Council members to slash its own budget by P2.1 million for 2024 after it has supposedly been approved on second reading.
However, the council members justified the budget cut, citing irregularities and mismanagement allegedly committed by Villaflor.
Villaflor earlier claimed that the budget slashing affected the Municipal Council the most, where the budget for job order and casual employees, fuel and lubricants was reduced to P1 each.
In response to the claims, Councilor Dowen Michael Ogatis said that Villaflor is not transparent, and mismanaged the Municipal Council funds.
Lacson said that the 2024 budget of Moises Padilla is already operational thus, Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo can proceed the implementation of her programs this year.
This is really purely internal and can be settled through constant communication, he added.
Its always a matter of give and take, the governor said.
The budget issues were raised by Villaflor before the Provincial Board of Negros Occidental, which has yet to release its findings.
Villaflor also sought the opinion of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. | GB
