Random Thoughts
STARTING THE YEAR WRONG. Old habits are hard to break.
Our honorable board members in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan were obviously still on vacation mode when they had their first regular session for 2016 last January 11.
It was a Monday and was supposed to be the first working day for the week. Their constituents had expected them to be in the hall fully energized and enthusiastic but no, only three showed up. The first roll call was made at about 9:45 a.m. Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr, Board Members Generoso Tulagan Jr and Danilo Uy were present. There was no quorum.
A “new” Tulagan rose and finally talked (he who is consistently silent during deliberations), but only to instruct the secretariat to make a note in the minutes that he is always present. Always present? Hmmmm, okay, but surely his constituents would prefer that he also participates in the deliberations, not just as “Hon. Always Present.”
An embarrassed Calimlim ordered a second roll call after 15 minutes to give others time to catch up. They did. Four members responded to the call—Calimlim, Uy, Napoleon Fontelera Jr., and Angel Baniqued Jr., another “Hon. Always Quiet” during discussions. But “Hon. Always Present” Tulagan was already nowhere in sight. He left after the first roll call. Tsk-tsk.
Absent, whether on sick leave, official business or for whatever reasons, were Board Members Amado “Pogi” Espino III (president of Liga ng mga Barangay), Anthony “Rene” Sison (1st), Nestor Reyes (2nd), Liberato Villegas and Mojamito Libunao Jr (4th), Clemente “Nino” Arboleda Jr (5th), Alfonso Bince Jr and Ranjit Ramos Shahani (6th) and Sheila Marie Perez-Galicia (Board Members’ League).
The starting performance of the provincial board was not good, and if this is an indicator of things to come, I’m afraid it will have difficulty establishing a quorum in succeeding sessions, like previous sets of provincial board. The campaign period draws near and many of them are in their re-election bid. Mas mahirap pag umaatake na ang pang-pitong sakit na “katamaritis bokales”, as in Katamaran ng mga Bokal!— Tita Roces
WHEN TOBACCO FUNDS ARE MISUSED. A case recently decided by the Ombudsman dismissing from the service Mayor Jose Villarosa of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and two other town officials in connection with the anomalous utilization of the municipality’s tobacco trust fund in 2010 strikes a close similarity with the case filed by the Save Pangasinan Movement (SPM) against some present and past officials of Alcala also before the Ombudsman, for alleged misuse of the town’s share of the Tobacco Excise Tax.
Also ordered dismissed were the municipal accountant and municipal treasurer. Mayor Villarosa, et. al. were also perpetually disqualified from reemployment in the government service, their eligibility canceled , and retirement benefits forfeited. Cases for Technical Malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were slapped against Villarosa, et.al.
In 2010, Villarosa authorized the utilization of the tobacco trust fund to purchase 10 multi-cab vehicles, Christmas lights, meals and snacks for newly-elected barangay captains, medicines, gravel and sand, bus and vehicle rentals, all totaling P2.9million.
The Ombudsman said the “funds should be used solely for cooperative, livelihood and or agro-industrial projects that enhance the quality of agricultural products, develop alternative farming systems, or enable tobacco farmers to manage and own post-harvest enterprises…that “the diversion of funds resulted in the deprivation of farmers who were the intended beneficiaries.”
And, finally, that the “respondents’ concerted acts, seen in the light of their years in public office, were certainly motivated by a clear and flagrant intent to violate the law and disregard established rules.”
This brings to mind the question posed to a politician by SPM in a series of paid advertisements last year – Why was part of the excise tax used for the Laoac Dairy Farm in Barangay Maraboc when it did not benefit tobacco planters and their families exclusively?
It looks like some past and present officials in Alcala are in trouble. – Leonardo Micua
WALK-OUT QUEEN—I have been attending sanggunian sessions of different towns and cities and I was aghast to witness how a mayoralty candidate who is presently a barangay captain in her town conducted herself. Although she and her colleague barangay captains were not invited to the session, they were accommodated by the SB members. After all, she is the wife of the incumbent mayor. They were also given the chance to manifest their concerns never mind that it was not part of the day’s agenda.
As the discussion proceeded, “Queen B” suddenly rose, thanked the SB and bid farewell in the middle of the argument between a councilor and her colleague barangay captain. Then, she urged her colleagues to leave the hall as well without waiting for the session to adjourn. Queen B and her entourage left without much ado.
In all instances, protocol demands that when issues are not easily resolved during deliberations, efforts are exerted to resolve these during a recess. At the very least, the guest or resource person would dutifully ask for permission to leave but Queen B would have none of it. – Hilda Austria
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