By Chito Chavez
Quezon City Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte has vowed to strictly enforce transparency and accountability in all business transactions at city hall if she comes out victorious in the city’s mayoral race.
Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Warning rogue city hall personnel of the most severe sanctions, Belmonte has stressed the importance of attaining a transparent government that will uphold culpability and openness in all business deals in the city.
As public servants, Belmonte stressed they should not hide anything from the public’s eye as the citizens have the right to be informed of what is happening in the city government.
In shunning corruption, Belmonte said the public should also be informed and educated with the pertinent laws and budget allocations for all local projects to determine if the city is being run by competent elected officials.
If elected mayor, Belmonte has pledged to make the city’s budget allocation for projects more accessible online to keep the public abreast on how the taxpayer’s money are spent.
In doing this, Belmonte noted the public will now be aware which sector gets the lion share of the budget and if the city government’s service is felt by the people.
Belmonte assured to achieve good governance in Quezon City wherein government documents and all the city's undertakings are accessible to the public in order to establish a good feedback mechanism.
To gain the people’s trust, Belmonte sees the need for the public know all the undertakings of the city government.
This will assure the people that the city’s budget are allocated only for priority projects the public and other sectors sorely need.
In the event the public has some reservation or concerns on how the city government is being run Belmonte said her office will be open to accept and receive their grievances.
"Diyan nagsisimula ang tinatawag natin na good governance. Kapag ang pamahalaan at ang taumbayan ay nag-uugnayan para magkaroon ng maayos na feedback mechanism. Dahil kung makakatanggap ako ng feedback mula sa inyo, alam ko kung tayo ay nagiging matagumpay sa ating trabaho na magbigay sa inyo ng sapat na serbisyo (This is where good governance starts if the public and the government has some sort of a link that will produce the feedback mechanism. If a receive feedbacks from you then I will be able to determine if I am on the rights track in performing my duties),’’ Belmonte stressed.
“I will fight for our city to achieve good governance,” concluded Belmonte.