12/07/2025
1 million left against 35 million payables:
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DAPITAN CITY β A financial crisis looms over the local government of Dapitan after an audit by the newly installed administration revealed that only PHP 1,012,826.09 remains in the cityβs coffers as of June 30, 2025. This amount is insufficient to cover the cityβs outstanding obligations, which are estimated to exceed PHP 35 million.
The unpaid expenses left behind by the previous administration, under former Mayor Seth Frederick βBulletβ Jalosjos, include salaries of regular and job order employees, loan repayments, mandatory government remittances, supplier payments, utility bills, and tax remittances, among others.
What alarmed officials even more is the lack of supporting documents explaining how the previous administration spent the cityβs supposed annual budget of over PHP 1 billion. The absence of a clear paper trail has raised red flags regarding transparency and accountability.
Vice Mayor Gabriel Cad stressed the need for former officials to provide the necessary documents.
βWithout proper records, they will face a heavier burden of explaining where the peopleβs money went,β Cad said.
Mayor Evelyn Uy, now at the helm of the city, said her administration is taking steps to stretch the limited funds to ensure that critical obligations for July β particularly employee salaries are met. However, she clarified that the city is bound by financial laws, and that obligations incurred by the former administration cannot be ignored, even if they are inherited.
The issue is expected to prompt further investigation and possibly legal action against those who may have mishandled city funds.
In a separate development during the flag-lowering ceremony, Mayor Uy delivered a brief message expressing her commitment to good governance.
βI will give my best, and with your support, we will ensure that everything is done in accordance with the law. As public servants, it is our responsibility to fulfill our duties with integrity. I believe that if we simply follow the law, things wonβt be as difficult. Our actions must always align with the rules and regulations of our government β and for that, I am asking for your full cooperation,β Mayor Uy said.
βThings may have been different in the past, but with your support, we can move forward β for the good of Dapitan, for our fellow citizens, and for everyone. If there are any shortcomings, I sincerely ask for your understanding. Please bear with me. We may not be able to solve everything right away, but I will do my best to address the issues we are currently facing and those that may arise in the future. I know it wonβt be easy, but if we work together, nothing is impossible. Together, we can make it happen,β Mayor Uy concluded.
