Punchline
Who cares about campaign promises?
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
WHEN was the last time you heard of a senator who came back to your small hometown to fulfill a campaign promise made during the hustings? That must have been decades ago if you ever heard one.
Last week, Sen. Alan Cayetano was in Pangasinan on two separate occasions over a 5-day period. He came not as a guest speaker of a civic club but to meet with the group of jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators in Dagupan City, and the other to meet with farmers and irrigators in Villasis. He had met with the two groups during his listening tour at the height of the 2013 campaign.
To the surprise of many, he came to fulfill his campaign promise to assist them in their livelihood, definitely an unexpected gesture from a senator that recently won in the last election. Most politicians are normally only heard from again when they are up for another reelection or election to another post. Noticeably, they are afflicted with seasonal amnesia forgetting whatever campaign promises they made in the past.
In sharp contrast, Cayetano returned with seed money contributed by his friends
to help the establish micro-financing or lending activities for the benefit of their members. He said it’s the only practical way to free them from usurious 5/6 lending. and enable them to earn more from their livelihood activities.
It will be recalled that he ran for reelection to the senate on a Presyo-Trabaho-Kita platform. I sure wish we had more of such public servants in the country! He’s retracing his steps to other provinces as well.
Fortunately, Pangasinan has its share of campaign promise-fulfillers among re-electionists, namely Reps. Gina de Venecia and Pol Bataoil. (Baby Arenas can be considered as one having worked in tandem closely with her daughter, former Rep. Rachel). Of course, Guv Spines and VGuv Ferdie Calimlim top the list.
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SILVER LINING. The brouhaha created by the erroneous news report aired by ABS-CBN’s Bandila last February 24 about the “mysterious flesh-eating disease” in Pangasinan definitely hurt the province’s tourism industry. That’s given.
But I also believe the incident created the opportunity to bring out the best in Pangasinenses. There was an unmistakable closing-in of ranks, and a solid expression of pride and protectiveness came to the fore. It was one issue that prompted many to be more concerned about their environment, taking fierce pride in the province’s stature in the country today.
When the giant network did not issue a standard stock answer: “We stand by the integrity of that report,” and issued a public apology instead, the Capitol believed it saw the end of a nightmare. Perhaps so but not quite. There remains the widespread talk of the prediction of a flesh-eating disease that would originate in Pangasinan and spread worldwide.
So, the other silver lining that I see ahead is the high level of consciousness to prove a noted Indian religious sect leader’s prediction wrong! We have reason to feel assured that the provincial government will take all precautions to make sure that no outbreak of any disease will befall the province, taking a cue from this nightmare.
Do I hear Guv Spines say: “Certainly, not under my watch!”
So fine, let’s move on and do all now to prove the prediction wrong…and come out as the healthiest people and the cleanest province in the region yet!
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COA’S REPORTS. Here is an interesting case recently decided by the Sandiganbayan that I believe would have a bearing on the concluded investigation and audit by Dagupan City Auditor Virgilio Quinto about illegal contributions and financial assistance to private groups and individuals.
The provincial board members of Sarangani circa 2002 were found guilty of malversation of public funds thru falsification of public documents and sentenced them to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
In a 33-page Decision, the court found that on April 2, 2002, the province of Sarangani disbursed P475,000.00 as financial assistance to Sea Angels Aqua
Marketing Cooperative (SAAMC) for bagoong production.
The court cited the Commission on Audit’s (COA) discovery of irregularities and deficiencies in the supporting documents such as the lack of accreditation papers, financial statements, corporate profile of SAAMC and financial or work plans. The prosecution proved that the project was non-existent and that the intended beneficiary did not receive any amount, instead, the fund was pocketed by the accused.
Who said corruption in the past will no longer be prosecuted? Expect the noose around grafters’ and corrupt officials throats to be extra tighter with the recent organization of COA of its own prosecution arm to give teeth to the work of honest and independent auditors. Between our independent ombudsman, an independent Sandiganbayan and independent COA men and women, a brighter horizon awaits the next generation.
Back in Dagupan, now comes the long list of recipients of financial assistance from the Dagupan City government. Will Auditor Quinto’s findings have a similar ending? Who will be made accountable? And will groups be made to return the monies they received? (I am told his report will be submitted by mid-March).
Abangan!
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WHERE’S THE MAJORITY? The month has ended and the Citystate Savings Bank continues to operate without the necessary business permits for the second year. The city hall has decided it cannot issue a permit to the bank owing to deficiencies in its application.
Then there is Dagupan Electric Corp tolerating the unauthorized use of its electric meter without proper documentation since Mayor Belen Fernandez ordered the termination of that particular account (originally listed under the city government’s account).
Then the Dagupan City councilors don’t seem to see anything wrong or irregular with the situation. It has not even shown any inclination to probe Decorp’s preferential treatment of the bank in violation of the terms of agreement with the city government. Worse, it has not acted on the proposed ordinance crafted by the city hall that would empower the city treasurer to close any establishment that fails to pay its business taxes or fails to secure a mayor’s permit. Why?
One truly wonders whether there exists a majority for the administration in the city council. Majority Floor Leader Maybelyn Fernandez is an absentee officer of the sanggunian which perhaps explains in part the failure of the group to function as such. She ought to resign her post ora mismo and allow for the election of a new majority floor leader if the agenda of the Fernandez administration for Balon Dagupan is to be realized.
If Councilor Maybelyn wins the coveted presidency of the Philippine Councilors League this week, with more reason she should resign her post in Dagupan to give justice to the mandate given the members of the majority by the electorate.
There is much to be done.
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