What do Angeles City Vice Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno and Mabalacat Mayor Crisostomo Garbo have in common? Well, both of them are blabbering about spending P1 billion each on the Angeles City College and the new Mabalacat Municipal Hall, respectively.
Angeles City, which has an approved budget of P2,080,755,520.26 for 2019 will be allegedly mired in debt because of the P1.22 billion loan granted recently by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to the construction of the new Angeles City Hall with an elevated parking lot, a new Sports Complex and so on. Last year, debt servicing alone reached P179 million and the amount will jack up to P233 million courtesy of the new loan that sparked feud at the Angeles City Hall and divided best of friends such as Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and the Flores Family led by Councilor Jae Flores. But, businessman Jojo Flores loves Edong so much and I can see their friendship will not be affected by politics. Truly, there are no permanent friends in politics – only permanent interests.
And the P1 billion peso question is, just where will Nepomuceno get the P1 billion he promised to spend for the further improvement of the Angeles City College? Is it mere plain politicking?
At least 45 percent of the 2019 Angeles City budget will go to personnel service while remaining amount will go to social services. Since the annual budget was already programmed, it was clear as day that Nepomuceno, who was two-term councilor and one-term vice mayor does not know how to use the budget of the city or was he engaging in plain politicking?
It was reported that Nepomuceno will pour in P1 billion for the public tertiary school of the City College of Angeles if he wins as mayor. Saan na naman po kukunin ang pera? Mang uutang na naman ba si Nepomuceno at miyembro ng mayorya sa Angeles City Council.
The city government has reportedly poured in more than P631 million for the construction and operation of the city college from 2011 to 2018. P631 million in the past seven years. And Nepomuceno will reportedly spend P1 billion in the next three years if he will clinch the mayoral post.
From 2,000 to 4,000 students per year, the public especially the marginalized sector will have a shot at education. Nothing wrong there but the manner with which to source the billion peso funding will entail Nepomuceno to seek the support of his super friends at the City Council to approve yet another loan. This is another potential debt trap that will top the existing loans of the Angeles City government.
In Mabalacat City, former City Mayor Marino “Boking Morales, now running for vice mayor, said a billion peso new Municipal Hall proposed by Garbo will put money into waste. “There is no need for a new Municipal Hall. The City Hall at Xevera will suffice, said Morales.