“MORE THAN a year ago, none of us could have imagined how our world — and our lives — would be thrown into turmoil by coronavirus. The pandemic has brought out the best and the worst of humanity.” – Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. said during his second State of the City Address the city government has posted a consolidated income of P2.2 billion from July 2020 to May 2021 driven by the restored public trust and confidence, optimism, resiliency and gradual reopening of the economy amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though we continue to face some challenges we have seen tremendous progress this year. The financial performance of the local economy— due in no small part to the city’s recovery efforts, prudent use of resources and other continuity plans to move forward— is proving to be a complete turnaround from last year, which Mayor Lazatin hopes to sustain as we continue to move past the pandemic slump. “It is our hope that our recovery efforts can sow the seeds of a healthier population that can be nourished by a resilient approach. We are striking the balance between preserving livelihood, boosting jobs, supporting businesses and saving lives,” Lazatin stressed.
There is also a remarkable rebound because for the first time in 13 years, the city also raked a budget surplus of P192,961,702.95 for 2019, Lazatin said in his SOCA speech.
There will be no tax hikes in the city, as the Lazatin administration continues to implement sound fiscal management and intensified revenue collection from local and external sources to cushion the reeling effects of the pandemic. Local sources include tax revenues from the real property tax and the business tax, and non-tax revenues from fees and charges, receipts from government business operations and proceeds from sale of assets.
To repay its debt of gratitude to hotels, motels, and dormitories— one of the hardest-hit sectors— who rendered free temporary housing to healthcare workers during this crisis, Lazatin urged Vice-Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting and members of the City Council to pass an ordinance that would grant them tax relief in the form of a tax credit worth P100,000.
Another good news as part of the city’s modernization program to ease doing business and promote efficiency in the Real Property Tax (RPT) collection, Angeleños can pay RPT via online payment system from the comfort of their own homes this year.
Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas said the city government has also given consideration to local businesses whose operations were gravely wounded by the pandemic with serious consequences paralyzing all sectors and individuals. by only requiring them to pay their actual operations’ gross income as part of their business tax. “We are committed to providing a good investment climate and business-friendly atmosphere to revive an almost comatose economy and while hope is in short supply. The best is yet to come,” Calaguas assured.
Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel said, “In order to aid local businesses with their finances, the city has also extended the deadline for the business tax payment for the permit renewal of existing business establishments without penalties, from January to February 28, 2021. The Business Permit and Licensing Division (BPLD) headed by one of our hardworking public servants Evangeline Angeles-Malonzo continuously monitors and inspects 14,151 business establishments to ensure they are in compliance with all the existing guidelines and health protocols issued by the city government.”
VACCINATION FOR ALL ANGELEÑOS
Lazatin also announced that as early as January 2021, the city has set aside a P203 Million budget to purchase COVID-19 vaccines that will be provided for free to all Angeleños.
The initial plan of securing a loan for the purchase of vaccines has been shelved, since the city has ample funds allocated in the city’s Supplemental Budget Number 1. Lazatin thanked Vice Mayor Vega-Cabigting and SP members — Atty. Arvin “Pogs” Suller, Alfie Bonifacio, Jay Sangil, JC Parker-Aguas, Joseph PG Ponce, Marino “Niknok” Banola, Dan Lacson, Raco Del Rosario, ABC president Jeremias Alejandrino, and SK federation president Arnoah Mandani — for the supplemental budget’s approval.
As of August 5, some 90,261 (A1-A4 vaccine priority groups) received their first dose jabs, while 51,465 (A1-A4 vaccine priority groups) received second dose of different types of COVID-19 vaccines (AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer and Sinovac). As of presstime, 5,817 have been vaccinated. The highest number in a single day in Angeles City.
Lazatin said the city came up with mechanisms to make sure that the bed ridden senior citizens, PWDs and residents who are not capable to physically go to vaccination sites at the City College of Angeles and Angeles City High School because of their existing medical conditions will be inoculated at the safety of their homes.”These Angelenos despite their being confined in their respective homes all this time are vulnerable to get the virus from other members of their household and we must avoid that as all of them who are either senior citizens, PWDs or persons with severe medical conditions have compromised immune systems,” Lazatin explained. He also assured that the city’s medical team has made the necessary assessments to ensure the patients are physically and medically eligible to receive the vaccines.
To date there are 174 out of 660 bedridden senior citizens in 10 barangays who received inoculation, which started last July 31 and some 200 bedridden persons with disabilities (PWDs) have also been receiving home vaccinations which started August 6.