Mayor Yap to City Council: Fiscalize "irregularities"

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines - While repeatedly calling for unity, newly-installed City Mayor Baba Yap dared the minority members of the City Council "to fiscalize" what he described as "irregularities" of previous administration of his uncle, then Mayor Dan Neri-Lim.

The dare came when Yap delivered what he called his inaugural address before the second session last Friday of the City Council, presided over by Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso.

Yap clarified that his 5-minute address was not meant to be a state of the city address (SOCA), contrary to what some local media outfits had mentioned.

In the 5th paragraph of his 11-paragraph speech, the mayor said: "Then we have our Cogon and Manga Markets and our slaughterhouse, losing a conservative estimate of P500,000 per year on unremitted and illegally collected fees. ... that alone would already sum up to a staggering P2 MILLION per year! P2 MILLION of lost revenues that could have been used to save countless lives! P2 MILLION that could have sent hundreds of impoverished children to school! P2 MILLION that could have fed thousands of our hungry Tagbilaranon brothers and sisters! Now, fiscalize that!"

It may be recalled that five of the minority bloc-Councilors Oscar Glovasa, Butchie Zamora, Lucille Lagunay, Pepot Besas and city SK Federation president Mary Leine Shaene Karaan, all of the political camp of ex-mayor Lim-reportedly refused to take the committee chairmanships given by the majority bloc, saying they will just remain "fiscalizers."

Yap said he ordered a technical working group "to conduct due diligence audit on all transactions entered into by City Hall officials and employees," starting the soonest possible time. After all these investigations and whatever the results will be, these will be made public in fulfillment of the advocacy for transparency, he said.

The mayor also said he will order the city treasurer to create a task force to check all economic enterprises in the city that maybe operating without permits and not paying fees and taxes. He zeroed in on the Central Public Market and the Integrated Bus Terminal where collections from stalls there were allegedly "unremitted."

The money, estimated at P130,000 per month, were not remitted to the city coffers and "illegally collected without receipts," said Yap, adding that he must look where these funds are because the city needs these. "These enterprises were established for the primary reasons of public service and as a means of income generation. ... we cannot effectively and efficiently serve the people without the capacity to fund our programs and activities." he said.

Yap told the City Council: "I know that the task ahead is overwhelming. But working together as one family has always been proven to be a powerful tool in overcoming difficulties.  I am full of optimism and hope that with the graces from the Almighty God, and your unyielding support, we can become a UNITED Tagbilaran."

Saying that he is relying on the City Council as the "Dream Team of Tagbilaran," he vowed to eliminate political factions and differences by "empowering the barangays, restoring transparency and accountability, offering the best health care for senior citizens and establishing a business-friendly city" that is also safe from crime and illegal drugs. 

In a huddle with the media shortly after his speech, Yap urged the public to report to him any wrongdoing of his men who he will oust if found involved in illegal activities. (FREEMAN)