Former Congressman Ted Failon criticized Mayor Joy Belmonte for not trying to find a way to get an emergency budget from Quezon City’s.
On his radio program on DZMM, Failon questioned why Belmonte who’s the Mayor of the second richest city in the Philippines is asking additional budget to the Duterte administration.
It can be remembered that Belmonte said that their quick response fund was not enough to feed 400,000 families in Quezon City for four weeks.
“Sa ika-apat na linggo, medyo magkukulang na po ang pondo ng lungsod, sapagkat ang quick response fund po natin ay mauubos na, at ang halaga nito ay P400-M lang ata, and we have other things to take care of katulad hospital equipment,” Belmonte said.
“We are now appealing to the DSWD, national government na sana tulungan naman nila kami sa lungsod ng Quezon,” she added.
According to Failon, Belmonte has the power to realign its budget to help her constituents who were affected by the enhanced community quarantine.
“Magpakatotoo tayo. ‘Yung mga nagyayabang na sila ang pinakamayan na city ‘pag walang kalamida.’Pag may kalamidad, kailangan namin ang tulong, nasaan na ang gobyerno. ‘Pag may kalamidad, iba na ang usapan,” Said Failon.
The radio host revealed that Belmonte during her time as the Vice Mayor of Quezon City presided a realignment of P1.673-B in QC’s budget for the beautification of the streets of QC and also renovating the offices in their city hall.
“Gaano mo kabilis itong naipasa? Alam niyo ba kung saan inilaan yung pera? Office of the Mayor 504 million pesos, Engineering Department 571 million pesos, ano itong mga engineering department na mga project ito?” Failon said.
“Buildings, 264 million infrastructure program, fixtures?! Lamesa, upuan, 331 million furniture, ano po ito? Ito ang bilis n’yo magpasa ng suppemental budget tapos ito pangangailangan ng inyong constituents, kesyo ganito, kesyo ganyan,” he added.
Failon after seeing the documents, said that if Belmonte could realign the budget in the past for beautification of her city hall, she could definitely get a supplemental budget to feed her constituents for one month.
“Kaya niyo to gugustuhin ninyo, nagawa niyo na ito eh,” he said.
Failon then urged Belmonte to stop her ‘beautification’ projects like putting ‘Welcome to QC’ signs and instead spend the money of her city to help her people.
He also mentioned that some of the Barangays in Quezon City are earning more compared to the third-class municipalities in the Philippines like Barangay Pasong Tamo (P144 million), Barangay Commonwealth (P133 million), Barangay Batasan (P109 million), and Barangay Holy Spirit (P74 million).
“Irealign n’yo kesa magpatayo pa kayo ng paso!” he said.