House OKs bill creating new San Fernando bgy
THE House Committee on Local Government on Tuesday approved a bill creating Barangay Pulung Bulu in the capital city of San Fernando in Pampanga.
Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., author of House Bill (HB) No. 182, said the measure “aims to correct and remedy the inequitable situation of Barangay Pulung Bulu.”
He said the city council of San Fernando created the barangay on Sept. 25, 2002.
However, as a local government creation, the community is not entitled to its share of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) since only those established by Congress are given IRA, he said.
“Barangay Pulung Bulu has been deprived of its rightful share of IRA under the Local Government Code. Since its creation, the population and development needs of the barangay have been increasing, but their current financial resources are no longer enough to meet their needs,” he added.
Gonzales pointed out that Pulung Bulu meets the standards and requirements for its creation as an independent barangay.
Pulung Bulu is the 35th barangay of San Fernando City.
He thanked Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian, who chairs the local government committee, for endorsing his bill in the first month of the 19th Congress.
“We will have enough time for the measure’s plenary consideration and approval, and we hope the Senate will pass it,” he said.
He said if the bill is approved, Pulung Bulu “will receive its share of IRA, enabling the community to adequately finance its socio-economic programs, effectively deliver services and promote the well-being of its residents.”
Gonzales said the capital city received a total of P781,445,584 in IRA from the national government in 2020, while its local income amounted to P1.145 billion.
“If the 2020 IRA were divided equally among 35 barangays, each barangay, including Pulung Bulu, would have been allotted P22.3 million,” Gonzales added.
