CSF council overrides mayor's veto on land reclassification

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— The city council here on Monday passed Resolution No. 2022-01 overriding Mayor Vilma Caluag’s veto on two ordinances that seek to reclassify two agricultural properties in Barangays Calulut and Panipuan into residential use.

Through a motion of Councilor Ayzel Mari Grace Macalino, the city council unanimously voted to override

Caluag’s veto on Ordinances 2022-04 and 2022-005.

The said properties, 27, 607 square meters and 50, 356 square meters, respectively, have been presented to the city council for reclassification of their respective private owner s.

Macalino said the properties complied with the necessary requirements and passed through the procedure for reclassification.

But in Caluag’s veto message dated September 1, 2022, she said that 8.63 percent of the agricultural lands and 10.9 percent of strategic agriculture and fisheries development zones (SAFDZ) in the city have already been reclassified.

Caluag added that out of the 10 percent threshold under Section 20 of the Local Government Code, only 1.37 percent of the agricultural lands in the city remain available for reclassification.

The mayor said the city has already exceeded the 5 percent threshold under Section 9 of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act.

The mayor invited the city council to discuss and deliberate on the remaining 1.37 percent of the agricultural lands available for reclassification and the 5.97 percent excess in the SADZ threshold, as well as to revisit the Comprehensive Land Use Plan

to ensure alignment with the upcoming 2022-2028 Philippine Development Plan. But Macalino, during her motion reminded the city mayor that according to City Planning, the city still has 1.37 percent or 29.6 hectares to reclassify for 2022.

“We have not reached our limit for hectares to reclassify. We were also given a certification from the Department of Agriculture that we can reclassify,” Macalino said.

The councilor added that it is only the Department of Agriculture that has the mandate to certify lands for reclassification.

Macalino said the mayor has only acted on the reclassification after 10 days. The councilor added that the Committee on Zoning has done its work and the requirements of the reclassification have all been complied with, along with the necessary clearances.

Macalino said that in her long years as a public servant, this is the only time that she encountered a veto on a city council ordinance from a sitting mayor.

The majority of the city councilors approved the motion to override.

The ordinances are expected to effect without the signature of the Mayor within 10 calendars, according to Macalino.

OUTSTANDING ANGELENO ARTIST The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Angeles City has passed Resolution Number 10216 Series of 2022 congratulating Kapampangan artist Peter De Vera for being recognized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines Kaisa Sa Sining Luzon Network as one of the outstanding artists, cultural worker, and recipient of the 1st Hiyas Award.