MAYOR TRIXIE FERNANDEZ SAYS LOCAL BUDGETS REALIGNED DUE TO COVID-19. “Nobody could have planned for the pandemic.”
Local government units as frontliners bore the brunt of the crisis brought about by COVID-19, said Mayor Trixie Fernandez of San Enrique and president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Iloilo chapter.
Fernandez spoke before a media forum ‘Debate sa Madge Cafe” yesterday morning at the Lapaz public market in Iloilo City.
“Last year we had to realign many items in our annual budget in order to meet the requirements for a pandemic response,” the mayor said.
She noted the pressing concerns then for testing and quarantine facilities, as well as mobilizing people and resources in the community level during the lockdown and going into this year.
But Mayor Fernandez also credited the national government particularly the DBM which allowed the use of the 20% development fund for COVID-19 response.*
