Where is the accounting?

By Eva C. Visperas

No doubt the Bangus (Milkfish) Festival is a hit, not only locally but internationally as well.

Only Dagupan has this kind of festival. People from all walks of life have always looked forward to this festival started by Mayor Benjamin Lim.

In the previous years’ celebrations, sponsors were plenty, money for sure was also abundant. Sponsorship means money, anyway. The list of corporate sponsors was long, including telecommunications companies, beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks, bottled water, frozen products as the festival itself is a certified crowd-drawer.

So, let’s not talk politics here as we had been hearing that every minute of the day in the radios from opposing camps these coming elections.

Let’s talk about accounting.

What’s taking the festival committees so long to present a credible accounting of sponsorship funds amassed from these companies that had been religiously supporting this affair?

Why can’t the city officials, particularly the incumbent mayor, the brains behind this gigantic event, pressure whoever is taking charge of these financial matters? Is he and the bagman in cahoots with each other?

That’s precisely the problem, they keep us wondering. They continue to be deaf to the loud clamor for accounting.

Take the case of Councilor Nick Aquino, seeking re-election and was once the festival committee chairman. Sources said he is good at numbers. But what’s keeping him too long to add, subtract, multiply, divide, whatever amount collected and spent for this affair?

Is Councilor Aquino only good at counting numbers from 1 to 37?

For sure we are delighted every time we hold our Kalutan ed Dagupan and we are so proud to have made our mark in the Guinness Book of World Records for our longest Grill feat.

But given what’s happening, we might earn another title – having the longest time to present its accounting for this affair. Was it in 2003 when this festival started? Gosh, we’re talking of several millions of pesos here.

Old folks tell us that we should be careful with our character. We had been repeatedly reminded by our elders to be honest, especially on money matters.

True, the glitter of gold oftentimes makes you forget your sensibilities in life.  And if we continue to elect officials with questionable characters especially on money aspects, we are bound to go to the garbage.

I don’t care much whoever is assigned as festival chair. What I, and most media friends and concerned Dagupeños, are concerned about is transparency so we will know whose wallet suddenly became thick.

Villasis had constructed its beautiful town hall, thanks to its fiesta activities, after sponsors’ money was spent properly. Urdaneta City is also a model for having fund-raising projects through its fiestas and having concrete projects to support like having fire trucks, garbage trucks, etc. out of sponsorships.

What about Dagupan? Is it about building a new house or buying a new car for whoever is assigned as festival chairman?

We want to know.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/business-log/)

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