Governor Erico Aumentado, not given to panic fits, had no choice.
He had to write a frantic letter to DENR Bossman Lito Atienza that the unceremonious opening of the San Jose drainage outfall cascaded "coliform contaminations, toxic and other deleterious pollutants that would imperil the Tagbilaran Bay and Maribojoc Bay marine ecosystem in the long run."
This was based on scientific proof from the water lab test from the imminent University of San Carlos of Cebu, a university renowned for "Chemistry" (the major) proficiency which spotted 2,000 colonies/100 ml (described almost too numerous to count) and revalidated by similar findings from the Provincial Health Department of 2,400 colonies/100 ml.
Aside from that, long outfall usage would pose health and safety problems.
"An environmental disaster waiting for its time to happen" is how Gov. Rico describes the San Jose outfall consequence. Quite apart from that, this destroys the fabled Tourism industry of Bohol because it undoubtedly pollutes Tagbilaran Bay and the famous Panglao resort beach lines fronting the city as well as all the way to Maribojoc Bay.
Certain to be likewise damaged environmentally would be the breakwaters of the Bohol Tropics Resort Club (meters away from the outfall) - the site of many national and international confabs. Just across is the Tagbilaran City Port (a tourist spot by itself) (maybe) soon to display polluted, brownish water if the Engineering Genius behind the San Jose opening is not stopped by the DENR.
With dispatch Atienza commanded two teams from DENR Manila and Cebu to investigate the environmental and tourist hazard. It might also be instructive for Chairman (Solidarity for Asia) Jesus Estanislao, a man of deep probity and integrity, to send a team as well to find out if this city they once dubbed as "Eco-Tourism Cultural Hub" deserves the title.
It is good to have titles - like that of boxer Manny Pacquiao - but not the dubious ones.
The City Mayor promised to construct a drainage outfall simultaneous to the DPWH drainage construction along CPG Avenue. He reneged on his promise. The City Mayor promised to cut the illegal connections after thirty days of voluntary disconnection. He balked on his promise. The City Mayor promised the Governor he will act if the DPWH will "turn over" the drainage project to City Hall. He failed his promise.
Instead he opened the San Jose outfall without permission from DENR and not informing the Governor who he requested for a turnover letter from DPWH.
That is why we have a very "Promising" Mayor in our midst. At least Boom Boom Bautista, the boxer, shows real "promise" despite his recent boxing debacle. Which only proves that the word "promising" in this land has more than just one meaning.
We are confident the DENR will render sound judgment on this issue. Barring that, the environmentalist groups should coordinate with regional and national counter-parts and wage war against this "nutty" game
plan of playing exterminator of our environment and tourism in one sweep.
Monday, December 1, 2008
FIGHT THE CITY HALL "STONEWALLING"
In aid of legislation and in the name of transparency, the Minority City Kagawads led by Vice Mayor Jose Veloso, are right in demanding for the people's right to know on the P6.5-million unliquidated advances of City Hall officers and personnel as December 2007 per COA Report.In a survey over "Radyo Merkado" over Station DYRD, all 28 respondents strongly stated that the City Hall auditing and accounting departments should not "stonewall" queries relating to the transparency in the use of government funds. Ninety-four percent likewise said proper charges should be filed against those who "obstruct justice" in the process of ferreting the truth and those involved in the unliquidated P6.5 million.
Majority of the Tagbilaranons and the side of truth appear to be with them on this issue.
Vice Mayor Veloso might want to consider taking the bluff-challenge of the City Auditor to take the issue to the courts. The 2007 COA Report (a public document) clearly stated there were many violations of the law committed by City Hall. Isn't it then logical that cases be filed at the Sandiganbayan?
There is legal luminary former OIC Governor Victor de la Serna (formerly a close ally of the City Mayor) who is willing to take the bull by the horns in response to the public's clamor of transparency in the use of public funds. There could be others besides - lawyers and researchers, alike.
We welcome this development to bring this issue that plagues City Hall into the open where two courts - the legal and the public opinion - will render judgment who the culprits are - and what their punishment should be.
But perhaps the most idiotic statement of the week has to be that of the City Auditor's Office who said they will no longer entertain queries (of this nature) since the 2008 year is ending.
This is the first time we heard that the ends of justice and transparency has an expiry date. The last time we checked the Marcoses are still facing (even today) a string of cases filed years after they fled from EDSA I in 1986.
In short, this stonewalling by City Hall of legitimate issues should be stopped before it becomes a bad, incorrigible habit.
Expose P6.5M in cash advances at City Hall
The public clamors for the city accountant and city auditor to reveal the complete list of cash advances by city officials and employees amounting P6.5 million that remain unliquidated as exposed in the 2007 Commission on Audit Report.
This as city accountant Kurt Bungabong and city auditor Teresita Irig rejected the request of Tagbilaran City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso to release the details of the unliquidated cash advances.
In a radio survey over “Radyo Merkado” of Station dyRD yesterday, a resounding 100% of the respondents expressed disapproval on the refusal of both city officials to release the list containing the personalities involved in the P6.5-million unliquidated cash advances as confirmed in the 2007 COA Report.
In said COA Report, it is only this "unliquidated cash advances" that did not have supporting document while the rest of the issues raised by the commission was backed up by supporting documents in the appendix section of the COA report, acccording to City Kagawad Djingo Rama who delivered a privilege speech
regarding the points raised in the audit report.
The respondents said that the people of Tagbilaran deserve to be enlightened and clarified on how taxpayers’ money entrusted to the city government is being administered.
On Tuesday, Veloso asked for the city accountant and the city auditor to be provided with the complete list of unliquidated cash advances as of December 31, 2007 as reported by the City Accounting Office.
The list, Veloso said, was not included in the 2007 COA report which should have been part of the responsibility of the COA “to keep the general accounts of the government and to preserve the vouchers and other supporting papers pertaining thereto.”
Veloso likewise requested Irig to provide documents regarding certain “exceptions” cited in the audit report, whether these “exceptions” have already been complied or settled and which of those that have not yet been complied and the reason for the non-compliance.
Instead of releasing the supporting document on the unliquidated advances as formally requested by the vice mayor, Irig only replied with an "endorsement" of Veloso's request forwarded to the office of the city mayor without acting on the same.
The written endorsement of Irig briefly stated that the findings and corresponding recommendations stated in the COA report is “for implementation” of the executive department.
"I'm just wondering why the city auditor seems to keep this list when she has a copy being the auditor, Veloso questioned when interviewed after Friday's session.
The vice mayor said he will formalize his complaint against the city auditor and city accoutant for their inaction on said request for public transparency.
SCRAP OF PAPER
A report of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on appropriations was presented for approval during last Friday’s session but was questioned by Kag. Rama.
The committee report sought to archive Rama’s privilege speech that raised the questionable items of the COA report in favor of the update on the implementation of audit recommendations issued by the city accountant.
Rama said the committee report is a “mere scrap of paper” since it did not address the specific issues raised in his privilege speech.
“The COA and city accountant must coordinate to submit any papers or documents relevant to justify their comments,” Rama said referring to the committee report which was not supported by official records.
According to Rama, if indeed the cash advances are “moving accounts”, then the city accountant and city auditor should be able to furnish a list of unliquidated cash advances by officials and employees as of December 31, 2007 including the aging of the latest cash advances.
DE LA SERNA COMMENTS
Former OIC Gov. Victor de la Serna who made the first attempt to scrutinize the fund administration at city hall strongly questioned the actuations of the city auditor and accountant, when interviewed during yesterday's "Radyo Merkado" over dyRD.
"It was improper for the auditor and the accountant to deprive the vice mayor on the copy of said documents showing the unliquidated cash advances," de la Serna stressed, while he challenged Vice Mayor Veloso to pursue his quest to further expose this financial issue based on the COA report.
"Since they are paid to protect the interest of the people's money, then they should take legal action against those who obstruct transparency in governance," de la Serna asserted.
He recalled that when he attempted to dig up financial records at city hall, he was given the same cold and embarrassing treatment at the city hall. Asked what prevented him to take legal action, de la Serna said it would be far beyond his duty being a private citizen.
"Now that the vice mayor and the city minority bloc were deprived of basic legal documents, then, they should file charges against these people," de la Serna concluded.
This as city accountant Kurt Bungabong and city auditor Teresita Irig rejected the request of Tagbilaran City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso to release the details of the unliquidated cash advances.
In a radio survey over “Radyo Merkado” of Station dyRD yesterday, a resounding 100% of the respondents expressed disapproval on the refusal of both city officials to release the list containing the personalities involved in the P6.5-million unliquidated cash advances as confirmed in the 2007 COA Report.
In said COA Report, it is only this "unliquidated cash advances" that did not have supporting document while the rest of the issues raised by the commission was backed up by supporting documents in the appendix section of the COA report, acccording to City Kagawad Djingo Rama who delivered a privilege speech
regarding the points raised in the audit report.
The respondents said that the people of Tagbilaran deserve to be enlightened and clarified on how taxpayers’ money entrusted to the city government is being administered.
On Tuesday, Veloso asked for the city accountant and the city auditor to be provided with the complete list of unliquidated cash advances as of December 31, 2007 as reported by the City Accounting Office.
The list, Veloso said, was not included in the 2007 COA report which should have been part of the responsibility of the COA “to keep the general accounts of the government and to preserve the vouchers and other supporting papers pertaining thereto.”
Veloso likewise requested Irig to provide documents regarding certain “exceptions” cited in the audit report, whether these “exceptions” have already been complied or settled and which of those that have not yet been complied and the reason for the non-compliance.
Instead of releasing the supporting document on the unliquidated advances as formally requested by the vice mayor, Irig only replied with an "endorsement" of Veloso's request forwarded to the office of the city mayor without acting on the same.
The written endorsement of Irig briefly stated that the findings and corresponding recommendations stated in the COA report is “for implementation” of the executive department.
"I'm just wondering why the city auditor seems to keep this list when she has a copy being the auditor, Veloso questioned when interviewed after Friday's session.
The vice mayor said he will formalize his complaint against the city auditor and city accoutant for their inaction on said request for public transparency.
SCRAP OF PAPER
A report of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on appropriations was presented for approval during last Friday’s session but was questioned by Kag. Rama.
The committee report sought to archive Rama’s privilege speech that raised the questionable items of the COA report in favor of the update on the implementation of audit recommendations issued by the city accountant.
Rama said the committee report is a “mere scrap of paper” since it did not address the specific issues raised in his privilege speech.
“The COA and city accountant must coordinate to submit any papers or documents relevant to justify their comments,” Rama said referring to the committee report which was not supported by official records.
According to Rama, if indeed the cash advances are “moving accounts”, then the city accountant and city auditor should be able to furnish a list of unliquidated cash advances by officials and employees as of December 31, 2007 including the aging of the latest cash advances.
DE LA SERNA COMMENTS
Former OIC Gov. Victor de la Serna who made the first attempt to scrutinize the fund administration at city hall strongly questioned the actuations of the city auditor and accountant, when interviewed during yesterday's "Radyo Merkado" over dyRD.
"It was improper for the auditor and the accountant to deprive the vice mayor on the copy of said documents showing the unliquidated cash advances," de la Serna stressed, while he challenged Vice Mayor Veloso to pursue his quest to further expose this financial issue based on the COA report.
"Since they are paid to protect the interest of the people's money, then they should take legal action against those who obstruct transparency in governance," de la Serna asserted.
He recalled that when he attempted to dig up financial records at city hall, he was given the same cold and embarrassing treatment at the city hall. Asked what prevented him to take legal action, de la Serna said it would be far beyond his duty being a private citizen.
"Now that the vice mayor and the city minority bloc were deprived of basic legal documents, then, they should file charges against these people," de la Serna concluded.
Tarsier stressed, bleeding
Bleeding through its legs and clinging to a tree, a tarsier in one of the caged tourist viewing sites in Loboc, looked stressed and lonely.The wounded tarsier, found to have an infection that led to the bleeding, just stared at passing tourists without a single movement.
Although it is rare to hear reports of injured tarsiers, provincial lawmakers are already pushing for an immediate regulation in issuing permits to private individuals and entities displaying tarsiers away from their natural habitat.
Scientific studies have pointed to the finding that tarsiers do not cope well in captivity. There have been reported cases where caged tarsiers inflict harm on itself, to the point of death, due to the stress caused by their confinement.
A joint committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) – the committees on environment and tourism – is presently reviewing national and local laws for the protection and preservation of the tarsiers.
“Tarsiers should not be taken away from their natural habitat,” says Board Member Alfonso Damalerio II, who co-chairs the joint committee together with Board Member Corazon Galbreath.
The alarm was issued after the Loay river cruise recently got its permit from DENR regional offices in Cebu City, by-passing the local DENR in the province.
The Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) chaired by Peter Dejaresco passed a resolution during its execom meeting last Monday demanding an explanation from DENR Reg'l Director Leonardo Sibbaluca why such permit was issued to the new tarsier display site.
Director Sibauca, who attended the meeting of the Panglao Island Tourism Estate (PITE) in Loboc last Friday, assured an investigation which might lead to the revocation of said permit since it did not pass the local DENR offices,.
The lawmakers equally agree that there should be an immediate regulation of giving permits to display the tarsier, which has become a signature mascot in promoting Philippine tourism.
The tarsiers are said to be endemic species found in the towns of Corella, Loboc, Sevilla and Bilar.
Starting this week, the joint committee will conduct hearings together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), tourism industry stakeholders and representatives of the local government units.
Business establishments, especially those that are tourism related, have proliferated due to the issuance of permits by the DENR. The primates can now be viewed by tourists in the towns of Panglao, Loay, Albur, Anda and Sagbayan. These towns are not considered as “natural habitat” of the tarsiers.
“Some permitees are collecting the tarsiers to be displayed as an additional attraction in areas that are frequently visited by tourists,” Damalerio said.
The DENR has announced that they have already conducted an inventory of the world famous tarsiers although authorities are still worried to note that the primates are increasingly traded and brought outside the province.
It was former Pres. Fidel Ramos who declared the small primates as specially protected faunal species under Proclamation No. 1030 in 1997.
The hunting, killing, wounding and taking in possession of the tarsiers was prohibited under the law which directed the DENR to establish “appropriate sanctuaries” to preserve the species.
In 2001, Republic Act No. 9174 or the wildlife conservation law included the protection and conservation of the tarsiers and its habitat as part of Philippine heritage.
Possession of wildlife, such as the tarsier, is not allowed unless a person or entity can prove financial and technical capability and the facility to maintain its existence.
Moreover, the breeding or propagation of wildlife resources for commercial purposes can only be allowed by the DENR through the issuance of a wildlife farm culture permit.
Commercial breeding of wildlife is also subject to an environmental impact study, the law states..
NEW HOME
In 1996, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. was founded which acquired a 170 hectare sanctuary for the species.
The foundation was granted gratuitous permit to collect tarsiers for research and breeding. The gratuitous permit also provided a quota for breeding and the species remain the property of the Philippine government.
Recently, through the assistance of Rep. Edgar Chatto of the first district, the tarsier sanctuary undergoes improvement of facilities, including the landscaping with an allocation of P1.5 million from the Philippine Tourism Authority.
The congressman has also been credited for securing a yearly P5 million allocation in the annual budget for the tarsier preservation program coursed thru the Department of Environment and Natural Resources..
The sanctuary development has boosted the campaign to view the endangered specie right in its natural habitat.
Guv to DENR: "Close outfall"
Gov. Erico Aumentado demanded the closure of the San Jose drainage outfall amid an "environmental disaster waiting to happen if the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will not act accordingly.This was contained in a strongly worded letter of the governor to DENR Sec. Jose "Lito" L. Atienza, Jr. following laboratory tests which showed coliform contamination and toxic and deleterious pollutants coming from the drainage outfall which was ordered open by the city mayor last Nov. 6.
The governor earnestly appealed to Sec. Atienza to close the outfall and open it only during heavy rains to prevent flooding along CPG North Ave., but immediately close the outfall thereafter.
"This is the recommendation of PENRO Nestor Canda," the governor said after Sec. Atienza asked for an investigation and recommendation on the impending environmental problem in the city.
He likewise asked Sec. Atienza for "DENR to order the implementation of cutting of alleged illegal connections while waiting for the Tagbilaran City waste water treatment facility to be operational." However, he said that those disconnected from the drainage system must be allowed to reconnect and pay the drainage and sewerage service that the city may impose to recoup the cost of setting up the facility.
Sec. Atienza acted swiftly on the governor's request in his bid to save the seawaters fronting the Tagbilaran City Port which is the country's first "tourist port" declared by the Philippine Ports Authority.
Dispatched by Sec.Atienza is a team from the EMB-Central Office led by Engr Esperanza Sajul, chief, monitoring section and another team from EMB-Central Visayas office led by Atty. Fernando Alberca.
Findings of both teams will be submitted to the DENR secretary tomorrow.
DENR authorities were alarmed that coliform are "too numerous to be counted (2,000 colonies/100 ml) as shown in the lab test of the University of San Carlos Water Laboratory test and another test of the Provincial Health Office which showed 2,400 colonies per 100 ml.
The governor stressed the situation, if allowed to continue, will pollute undoubtedly the Tagbilaran Bay and the beach lines of Panglao island facing Tagbilaran and Maribojoc Bay, the resorts along the city's shorelines, particularly the Bohol Tropics Resort Club which is the venue of national and international gatherings.
The marine ecosystem in the city and Maribojoc Bay which are the sources of livelihood for marginal fishermen will face tremendous destruction unless this grave public nuisance shall be abated, the governor stressed in his letter to the DENR secretary.
He quoted Prov’l. Heath Officer, Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot and Renato Villaber, head of the Bohol Environment Office as stating in their respective reports that the "results on the fecal and coliform counts which are way above acceptable standards" will definitely pose danger to the health and safety of constituents.
SITUATIONER UPDATE
A check made yesterday afternoon at the San Jose outfall showed that the flow of "odorous and polluted" water continuously flows at 5-8 kph while the width of the gushing water reached to 50 cms, but following heavy downpour as checked last Nov. 15 (14 days ago) the volume even doubled, according to international ship captain Jun Mendez.
During his spot check at the outfall yesterday, he recorded the volume of water (from the drainage outfall) coming out to the seawaters at 1 drum per 15 minutes or 19,200 liters daily.
"This will be a major destruction and pollution to the marine ecosystem." he stressed.
The outfall is directly across the Tagbilaran City Port which is barely 520 meters and just a stone's throw away from the Bohol Tropics Resort Club.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
THE ‘CHA-CHA’ TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION
Desperate times call for desperate solutions.The Year 2010 - and the electoral moment of truth - looks forbiddingly close for those whose necks are getting closer to the hanging noose. Indeed.
The woefully low approval rating of PGMA by the Filipino people - in fact, the worst among post-Marcos presidents - makes 2010 look like Good Friday for the Palace subalterns.
A PGMA endorsement will certainly be a kiss of death. Besides, the Administration does not really have a viable, winnable candidate to date. Even Vice President Noli de Castro is, strictly speaking, an independent - not an administration puree.
But even if he was a GMA stool pigeon, De Castro now rates about 22% of national poll surveys - but the rest of the majority are Opposition. Which means, if the Opposition fields one candidate - theoretically speaking - "Ka Bayan" De Castro will be trounced 88% (opposition) versus (22%) De Castro.
PGMA and cohorts desperately need a "friendly" president to be elected in 2010 - to provide the firewall to shield them from the avalanche of charges - criminal and administrative. Barring that, some of them may have to shop now for countries that will have no extradition treaty with the Philippines.
In fairness - the Palace and its local supporters - have been singing in unison that they are not plotting an extension of the president. That is a political fireball, of course, that can germinate into EDA IV, they realize early enough.
But wait a minute - is there no legal wait out here before 2010? - they chorused.
Thus the "cha-cha" train that left the station is not a runaway locomotive, by any means. It left on schedule, according to the charts.
Only fools and the naive can believe the new Cha-Cha Initiative does not have the blessings of the Palace. It is Rep. Luis Villafuerte-directed, a staunch leader of KAMPI, the political party founded by the President. The two faithful boys of the president - Mikey and Dato - are assiduously recruiting signatories (178 is 3/4 of 238 - now 160 have signed).
Now, knowing how PGMA runs her shop - like a stern disciplinarian-tutor, can we disabuse our mind that she will let this important strategy go full speed without her say-so? Fortunately, most of us were not born yesterday.
But what are the chances of the "cha-cha" train getting to its destination- and its ETA?
Under the Constitution-and the House being bicameral- all issues are voted separately by the Senate and the Lower House. They cannot even create a barangay, or rename a highway or pass a budget - without the Houses voting separately. How can they ram this to the bull-necked senators now?
The Senate - the independent mavericks - crossed party lines last week that railroading the Cha-cha Initiative (through a Constituent Assembly) to the Senate will be "bloody and over their dead bodies." Strong words, those.
Almost to a man and a woman, the Senate will vote down the Con-Ass Joke except for a Lito Lapid who is laging "lito-lito" as to where he stands or perhaps a Revilla, whose legislative mindset is as dull as his showbiz record is as colorful.
Yes, even as ordinary laymen - people will question that with such an important matter such as revising the Constitution - how can one vote of a congressman elected by 100,000 voters be equal to one vote of a senator elected by 14 million Filipinos? But that's what the Con-Ass(ers) like us to believe.
Failing, that the Con-Ass Conspirators will make it a "justice-able controversy" by forcing the Supreme Court to decide if Congress can vote separately or jointly. Our take is that under the present Supreme Court composition -that initiative is doomed to fail with the feisty Chief Justice Puno being sturdy as an oakwood in matters like this.
Strategy-wise, they might opt to wait for next year when eight or even nine of the Supreme Court justices will retire and PGMA will of course be able to appoint her justices-of-choice - which could upset the present equation. The role of the Judicial Bar Council, sad to say, has clearly been ministerial - and what a sitting president wants, the sitting president usually gets. Gets, ninyo?
Assuming the SC votes with them in 2009, how much time do the Con-Ass Conspirators have without being overtaken by the revved-up race for the presidency in May 2010?
The best thing they can do is to insert the question in the 2010 elections -whether or not the people would want to change the Constitution. It is hard to argue -that we should not vote for some changes in the Constitution.
But by that time, the Philippines will have elected a President and a Vice President who must finish the term up to 2016.
Even if they opt to have a Constitutional Convention (with new elected delegates) after 2010- framing a new Constitution will take at least a year or so to complete. So the other strategic aim for a Parliamentary form of government that would allow PGMA to run as Parliamentarian representing Pampanga and reign as Prime Minister - may have to take a back seat. Or will it?
Certainly, not all who voted for the Cha-Cha have polluted minds. For the record, our three solons - Chatto, Cajes and Jala voted for it but they want a Constitutional Convention to make the amendments to our 21-year old Laws of the Land.
Crucial changes would be possible: change from presidential to parliamentary (to avoid gridlocks-sic), bicameral to unicameral, from LGUs to Federal States -on the political front. On the economic front - liberal foreign entry into utilities, media, education, mining, property ownership, among others, to boost investments - and generate jobs.
All those excellent subjects for debate - could go down the drain, however, once the issue of term extension and the ambition to return to power (via whatever route) becomes the focal issue.
That is the problem with a presidency that is dealing with a "trust issue" with its people. Even if it means well - and it probably does - people still sneer and wants to peek behind the curtains to find out if nothing illicit is happening between the sons' ardent devotion to Mother Dear and Press Secretary Jess Dureza's "faux pas".
The "faux pas" happened (for which Dureza already apologized) during a pre-meeting prayer where -the subconscious mind of Dureza -verbalized mindlessly his ardent wish for his Boss Lady to reign beyond 2010.
Madame Lady President, of course, let out her famous frown - because that was really "getting the cat out of the bag."
So Dureza did not really suffer some "slip of the tongue" malady -but of the Palace displaying some slip to be showing.
Be that as it may- the "cha-cha" train is full steam ahead. Let us just hope that it will not be like the famous Latin America dance cha-cha where (for the male version, at least) it is one step forward - and four steps backwards.
Sad indeed, that would be. Let us wait and see.
Bohol solons go for Cha-cha
The petition of Third District Rep. Adam Relson Jala for the two chambers of congress to vote jointly on constitutional amendments may have been junked by the Supreme Court but is fast gaining support among fellow congressmen.As early as Thursday, a resolution to convene the Senate and the House of Representatives into a constituent assembly has been quietly passed around for signatures of congressmen.
Latest reports reveal that some 160 solons have already signed the measure to jumpstart amendments to the Philippine Constitution.
Rep. Edgar Chatto and Rep. Roberto Cajes confirmed to the Chronicle yesterday they both signed the proposed resolution in their desire to let the Supreme Court rule on the issue of whether it would call for a separate or joint voting.
Jala, who delievered his privilege speech at the resumption of session last Nov. 10 admitted in an interview over Station dyRD that he was one of the first to sign the resolution last week.
“There’s a movement in the House wherein there is a resolution being passed where we are trying to adopt the joint voting interpretation so that we could have, 198 signatures for the petition, in order for us to propose amendments to the Constitution,” Jala explained.
The target number of signatures is three-fourths of the combined total of the members of the House, which is 238, and the Senate, which is 24, but minus former Senator Alfredo Lim who is now Manila mayor.
The Constitution provides that a three-fourths vote is necessary for both Houses to convene as a constituent assembly and to amend the Charter.
The 29-year old Jala, however said, there is no finality yet on this call for a charter change as it will still be submitted to the people for ratification in a plebiscite.
"I was 7 years old when the 1987 Constitution was ratified," Jala cited while saying, this 20-year old Constitution is no longer representative of the greater majority of this generation."
The fresh law graduate who joined politics right after passing the bar said amending the Constitution is the "greatest power inherent on the people, even greater than electing our public officials."
He said that the proposed resolution now gaining grounds in Congress specified that it will not allow the extension of term of the President and Vice President and that it ensures elections in 2010.
Jala had filed a petition for the Supreme Court to decide on whether both houses should vote separately or jointly on the issue but the court discarded his petition saying it was premature.
“With this movement calling for charter amendments, the urgency to resolve the issue on wherther its joint or separate voting can finally be ruled by the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter of constitutional issues,” Jala said.
Most constitutionalists have said the vote should be done separately since all bills and other legislative measures, such as the budget, are decided by both houses separately.
But if the present House resolution eventually brings the issue to the Supreme Court, political observers say that it may be granted considering majority of the justices are already appointees of Pres. Gloria Arroyo.
This recent move calling for a Charter Change is met with strong objection in the Senate.
Sen. Mar Roxas called on Pres. Arroyo to stop her son, Pampanga Rep. Juan miguel "Mickey" Arroyo and other allies in the House from proceeding to push a constituent assembly (Con-ass) as a means to amend the Constitution.
IDENTICAL STAND
The 3 Bohol solons have identical stand on calling for a charter change.
Rep. Chatto, for his part, said he signed the proposed resolution as it is only way that the Supreme Court will rule on the issue of whether its a joint or separate voting. There has to be a justiceable controversy so for the High Tribunal to rule on the matter, Chatto said.
He said a Supreme Court ruling against joint voting paves the way to a Constitutional Convention as the only acceptable mode, instead of a constituent assembly.
Rep. Cajes, in a separate interview said that while he is for a charter change, it would limit to the economic provisions of the Constitution, minus the political issues and concerns.
The last termer solon likewise said its about time to amend the Constitution. If a Constitutional Convention will be called, it would be simultanoues with the 2010 election, he forecast.
Cajes cited that even the framers of the 1987 Constituion have admitted there was an ommission for the proper appreciation on the manner of voting which they thought would be a unicameral body, when it is bicameral.
The forthcoming House resolution will create the "controversy" which is a pre-requisite for the Supreme Court to promulgate its ruling on the matter, he concluded.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
THE (LACK OF) INDEPENDENCE OF THE COURTS
Sometimes, when teachers in school postulate that there are three independent branches of Government: Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary - some students think that's baloney.Let's not even talk of the Lower House's canine devotion to the Palace - but how puny the Justice System is in this country is and how that explains the dismal record of dispensing justice here.Structurally, the dice is loaded against the Judiciary.
To start with. Consider that in a typical national budget allocation, the Judiciary, a supposed co-equal branch of government only receives less than 1% of the entire pie. The Executive gets 68%, Automatic Debt Appropriation 28%, Legislative Pork 3% and less than 1 percent each for the Judiciary and the Constitutional Commission.
The Constitutional Commissions, supposed to be creations of the Constitution -cannot be removed by any executive and legislative act. These include the Ombudsman, the Commission on Audit, the Commission on Human Rights, Comelec and the Civil Service Commission.
Their heads are, of course, appointed by the president.The recent perception of the record of Ombudsman chief Merceditas Gutierrez, classmate of the First Gentleman, does not inspire confidence of its independent judgment, to cite an example.In the past, when the salaries and allowances of judges were disgustingly low, stories about "fixcals" and "cashunduan" littered the history books of the country's judiciary.
Many of them, likewise, were political appointees - that power in fact considered as a premium factor that made politicians extremely powerful and public office such a desirable, lucrative profession.
Right there, the economic impoverishment and the political apron strings created a judicial abomination that court decisions became predictable in this country where "who one knows" not "what one knows" became an overriding criterion in settling court cases.
Four years ago, Senator Francis Pangilinan filed a bill that generally upgraded the salaries and allowances of the judges in the country - precisely to shield them from the temptation of gold.A Regional Trial Court judge in the 22 courts in Cebu, for instance, gets a basic salary of P25,000 and an assortment of allowances of about P50,000 from the Supreme Court and the Judiciary or a total of P75,000 per month.
The good intentions of the Local Government Code permitted city and provincial LGUs to give allowances to the judges.
In the case of Cebu - P11,000 total from both the city and provincial governments - to help them resist the temptation to become partial for monetary considerations.
Except that this creates moments of conflicts on interest.A Boholano Presiding Judge of Cebu Regional Trial Court No. 58 Gabriel Ingles, brought this to the fore when he wrote both Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Acting City Mayor Michael Rama expressing his desire to indefinitely refuse to accept the P6,000 monthly provincial allowance and P5,000 monthly city allowance.
This was apparently in protest over the withholding of the provincial monthly LGU allowance to Judge Bienvenido Saniel perceived to be due to his unfavorable ruling on the petition of the provincial Government with respect to who should get more board representation in a Cebu Waterworks system.
The city had earlier appointed more board seats to the city in the waterworks system arguing that this is equitable since the city pays for 60% of the water revenues. The Provincial Government wanted Judge Saniel to issue a "petition for declaratory relief" which he refused because it was not the proper way to resolve the issue since a "violation" has already been committed by the city government.Judge Saniel's allowance - allegedly from provincial government instructions was then withheld.Judge Ingles, who teaches law at the University of San Carlos and writes a legal column in a regional newspaper, explained his move to rid his function of possible conflicts of interest whenever cases affecting the provincial and city governments would ensue.Judge Ingles said "the courts must not just be impartial but be perceived as impartial, which is almost as important as the first.
"Whatever the judges concerned decides - the public will always trace the bias towards the monetary consideration extended by either parties.Another judge Meinrado Paredes also gave up his provincial government allowance - likewise in protest over Saniel's case - but kept his city allowance since Judge Paredes presides over a special Drug Court which will unlikely have conflicted cases involving the city Government.
Judge Ingles has a sterling record of work ethics and judicial integrity in Cebu and was once considered as a candidate for Comelec Commissioner. He had long dismissed the possibility because the Boholano judge, a product of the College of the Holy Spirit and an SVD ex-seminarian, said he had no "political backers.
"Judges Ingles and Paredes stand today, therefore, as two beacons of hope that the future is not all that dim for the justice system in this country.
Judge Ingles also told the Chronicle that he deplores the accepted mode of LGUs funding the travel and hotel expenses of judges whenever they go on conferences in Manila and elsewhere - claiming the same uneasy situation of a benefactor-beneficiary relationship would befall on one who often sits in judgment over legal cases.In the local scene, all 30 municipals circuit judges and now seven Regional Trial Court judges, inhibited themselves from handling the controversial case filed by city residents and establishments against the City Mayor et al. for the exorbitant rise in realty taxes without public consultation.
The judges claim they are all tax paying residents who will benefit from either ruling on the case, thus their inhibition.That seemed like an ethically-driven move.
But because of the Ingles Factor, taxpayers are now asking how much are the city, municipal or provincial governments giving as allowances to our judges?
Or are they not giving any at all?The integrity and independence of our Judiciary is an important cog in the preservation of true democracy in this country.
This important criterion becomes more pronounced today as we enter 2009 when seven or even eight Supreme Court justices will be retired - their replacements in the hands of President GMA.
How will the shift in ideological mix affect landmark cases expected to be tackled next year?
Indeed, how independent are our courts - national and local? Juan de la Cruz is asking.
To start with. Consider that in a typical national budget allocation, the Judiciary, a supposed co-equal branch of government only receives less than 1% of the entire pie. The Executive gets 68%, Automatic Debt Appropriation 28%, Legislative Pork 3% and less than 1 percent each for the Judiciary and the Constitutional Commission.
The Constitutional Commissions, supposed to be creations of the Constitution -cannot be removed by any executive and legislative act. These include the Ombudsman, the Commission on Audit, the Commission on Human Rights, Comelec and the Civil Service Commission.
Their heads are, of course, appointed by the president.The recent perception of the record of Ombudsman chief Merceditas Gutierrez, classmate of the First Gentleman, does not inspire confidence of its independent judgment, to cite an example.In the past, when the salaries and allowances of judges were disgustingly low, stories about "fixcals" and "cashunduan" littered the history books of the country's judiciary.
Many of them, likewise, were political appointees - that power in fact considered as a premium factor that made politicians extremely powerful and public office such a desirable, lucrative profession.
Right there, the economic impoverishment and the political apron strings created a judicial abomination that court decisions became predictable in this country where "who one knows" not "what one knows" became an overriding criterion in settling court cases.
Four years ago, Senator Francis Pangilinan filed a bill that generally upgraded the salaries and allowances of the judges in the country - precisely to shield them from the temptation of gold.A Regional Trial Court judge in the 22 courts in Cebu, for instance, gets a basic salary of P25,000 and an assortment of allowances of about P50,000 from the Supreme Court and the Judiciary or a total of P75,000 per month.
The good intentions of the Local Government Code permitted city and provincial LGUs to give allowances to the judges.
In the case of Cebu - P11,000 total from both the city and provincial governments - to help them resist the temptation to become partial for monetary considerations.
Except that this creates moments of conflicts on interest.A Boholano Presiding Judge of Cebu Regional Trial Court No. 58 Gabriel Ingles, brought this to the fore when he wrote both Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Acting City Mayor Michael Rama expressing his desire to indefinitely refuse to accept the P6,000 monthly provincial allowance and P5,000 monthly city allowance.
This was apparently in protest over the withholding of the provincial monthly LGU allowance to Judge Bienvenido Saniel perceived to be due to his unfavorable ruling on the petition of the provincial Government with respect to who should get more board representation in a Cebu Waterworks system.
The city had earlier appointed more board seats to the city in the waterworks system arguing that this is equitable since the city pays for 60% of the water revenues. The Provincial Government wanted Judge Saniel to issue a "petition for declaratory relief" which he refused because it was not the proper way to resolve the issue since a "violation" has already been committed by the city government.Judge Saniel's allowance - allegedly from provincial government instructions was then withheld.Judge Ingles, who teaches law at the University of San Carlos and writes a legal column in a regional newspaper, explained his move to rid his function of possible conflicts of interest whenever cases affecting the provincial and city governments would ensue.Judge Ingles said "the courts must not just be impartial but be perceived as impartial, which is almost as important as the first.
"Whatever the judges concerned decides - the public will always trace the bias towards the monetary consideration extended by either parties.Another judge Meinrado Paredes also gave up his provincial government allowance - likewise in protest over Saniel's case - but kept his city allowance since Judge Paredes presides over a special Drug Court which will unlikely have conflicted cases involving the city Government.
Judge Ingles has a sterling record of work ethics and judicial integrity in Cebu and was once considered as a candidate for Comelec Commissioner. He had long dismissed the possibility because the Boholano judge, a product of the College of the Holy Spirit and an SVD ex-seminarian, said he had no "political backers.
"Judges Ingles and Paredes stand today, therefore, as two beacons of hope that the future is not all that dim for the justice system in this country.
Judge Ingles also told the Chronicle that he deplores the accepted mode of LGUs funding the travel and hotel expenses of judges whenever they go on conferences in Manila and elsewhere - claiming the same uneasy situation of a benefactor-beneficiary relationship would befall on one who often sits in judgment over legal cases.In the local scene, all 30 municipals circuit judges and now seven Regional Trial Court judges, inhibited themselves from handling the controversial case filed by city residents and establishments against the City Mayor et al. for the exorbitant rise in realty taxes without public consultation.
The judges claim they are all tax paying residents who will benefit from either ruling on the case, thus their inhibition.That seemed like an ethically-driven move.
But because of the Ingles Factor, taxpayers are now asking how much are the city, municipal or provincial governments giving as allowances to our judges?
Or are they not giving any at all?The integrity and independence of our Judiciary is an important cog in the preservation of true democracy in this country.
This important criterion becomes more pronounced today as we enter 2009 when seven or even eight Supreme Court justices will be retired - their replacements in the hands of President GMA.
How will the shift in ideological mix affect landmark cases expected to be tackled next year?
Indeed, how independent are our courts - national and local? Juan de la Cruz is asking.
OPPOSITION TO THE SMALL CLAIMS RULE
The Supreme Court has reported with pride the resolution of a small claims case in Iloilo under the Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases which took effect last Oct. 1 that governs the procedure for prosecuting, defending, and adjudicating small claims cases or civil claims which are exclusively for the payment of a sum of money not exceeding P100,000.00, before first-level courts (Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts).
To jumpstart the launch of this Rule, the Supreme Court issued Administrative Order No. 141-2008 designating 22 first-level courts nationwide as pilot courts to hear and decide small claims cases.
According to the SC website, the Iloilo Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 4 successfully resolved the first small claims case outside Metro Manila through Judicial Dispute Resolution (JDR) 15 minutes after the case was called for hearing. The case arose in 2004 when defendants failed to settle their loan obligation after mortgaging a parcel of land in the amount of P53,900.00.
* * * * * * *
Admittedly, a money claim of P100,000 maybe “small” for big cities in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao or Iloilo. But P100,000 is definitely not a small amount here in Tagbilaran or in Bohol for that matter.
The amount of P5,000 could perhaps qualify as small money claim in other places outside Metro Manila but this is still debatable when it comes to places in the Visayas and Mindanao.
But our thesis of classifying P5,000 as rather small is for the courts of justice to use its machinery in order to enforce the claim.
* * * * * * * *
Secondly, P100,000 is definitely “small” for corporate lawyers and big law firms in Metro Manila, Cebu or Davao. But the amount is quite a source of potential income for practicing lawyers in the provinces and small cities like Tagbilaran.
Thus, by implementing the small claims rule in places other than those in the metropolis, it would be tantamount to depriving legal practitioners from potential clients which is akin to a deprivation of property.
We therefore urge the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) under Atty. Isabelo Sales Jr. to come up with a stand opposing the implementation of the small claims rule here in fairness to local legal private practitioners.
* * * * * * * *
It is quite tempting to discuss here the fate of the privilege speech delivered by City Councilor Zenaido Rama the other week which gained prominence in local newspapers last Sunday. It was again tackled by the city council during our regular session last Friday.
However, out of self-restraint and delicadeza, we shall refrain from delving into the matter as we may not be able to deal with it objectively considering our political configuration.
It has been our avowed motto not to use this corner or even our “Barometro” portion of Tagbilaran By Nite for our own political and personal ends even if we have been described by political foes with all kinds of unsound adjectives already. We do hope that others in the media who are similarly situated like us would follow. Anyway, there are proper avenues for this.
To jumpstart the launch of this Rule, the Supreme Court issued Administrative Order No. 141-2008 designating 22 first-level courts nationwide as pilot courts to hear and decide small claims cases.
According to the SC website, the Iloilo Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 4 successfully resolved the first small claims case outside Metro Manila through Judicial Dispute Resolution (JDR) 15 minutes after the case was called for hearing. The case arose in 2004 when defendants failed to settle their loan obligation after mortgaging a parcel of land in the amount of P53,900.00.
* * * * * * *
Admittedly, a money claim of P100,000 maybe “small” for big cities in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao or Iloilo. But P100,000 is definitely not a small amount here in Tagbilaran or in Bohol for that matter.
The amount of P5,000 could perhaps qualify as small money claim in other places outside Metro Manila but this is still debatable when it comes to places in the Visayas and Mindanao.
But our thesis of classifying P5,000 as rather small is for the courts of justice to use its machinery in order to enforce the claim.
* * * * * * * *
Secondly, P100,000 is definitely “small” for corporate lawyers and big law firms in Metro Manila, Cebu or Davao. But the amount is quite a source of potential income for practicing lawyers in the provinces and small cities like Tagbilaran.
Thus, by implementing the small claims rule in places other than those in the metropolis, it would be tantamount to depriving legal practitioners from potential clients which is akin to a deprivation of property.
We therefore urge the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) under Atty. Isabelo Sales Jr. to come up with a stand opposing the implementation of the small claims rule here in fairness to local legal private practitioners.
* * * * * * * *
It is quite tempting to discuss here the fate of the privilege speech delivered by City Councilor Zenaido Rama the other week which gained prominence in local newspapers last Sunday. It was again tackled by the city council during our regular session last Friday.
However, out of self-restraint and delicadeza, we shall refrain from delving into the matter as we may not be able to deal with it objectively considering our political configuration.
It has been our avowed motto not to use this corner or even our “Barometro” portion of Tagbilaran By Nite for our own political and personal ends even if we have been described by political foes with all kinds of unsound adjectives already. We do hope that others in the media who are similarly situated like us would follow. Anyway, there are proper avenues for this.
WHAT IS "JOC-JOC" BOLANTE UP TO?
Headline story for the week was the Joc-Joc Bolante story which was also the "Joke of the Week" story. Joke-joke lang, as they say.
Two years in American prison and 14 days in plush St Lukes Hospital polished Joc-Joc's dramatic skills and perfected his legal defense - where he played a virtual Pontius Pilate.
In protecting his patrons, Joc-Joc Bolante dumped the blame on the Operations undersecretary, the regional DA heads the LGUs in general who were tasked to distribute the P 728-Million worth of fertilizers to the farmer-beneficiaries.
What appears to be facts now are: three Manila congressmen got cash for fertilizers, some urban-situated public officials got "so-called fertilizers" (fattening the asphalted highways and island plants) and the rest got fertilizers (after May to the rainy months). There were 105 congressmen, 53 governors and 26 municipal mayors or a total of 184 among "Bolante's List."
Some P14-million worth of fertilizers, and not cash, were given - P5 million for Governor Rico Aumentado and P3 million each for Representatives Chatto, Cajes and Jala the Elder. Accordingly, the Governor distributed them to 40 towns, Chatto to one town: Balilihan, Cajes to two: San Isidro and Dagohoy and Jala to one town: Bilar.
If the four local government officials can show proof that the beneficiaries are legitimate farmers and farmer-organizations, that should deem the items "liquidated." Needless to say, however, they should be able to defend the authenticity of these documents in Plaza Rizal, so to speak.
Bolante, accordingly, had his sweet time fabricating his defense thesis inside the air-conditioned comfort of a five star hospital - where due to the length of time, people thought he had undergone all sorts of tests - including the pregnancy test.
Since, Bolante has largely been ambivalent, his pregnancy test (sic) also declared He was "slightly pregnant," one for the Guinness Book of records.
Bolante, who has shamed thousands of honest and patriotic Rotarians the world over, was perceived to have twisted the truth to his convenience and dragging others just to save his skin.
One editorial is not enough to ask lucid, straight questions from one of the best Rotarian friends of the First Gentleman. But some of the few:
1. Since the budget allocation was hatched as early as September 2003, Secretary Art Yap (who was quickly made undersecretary for Luzon operations in February 2007) could not have been a party to the scheme. Bolante is deemed to be the "Architect" of the P728-million Fertilizer Mess.
2. How did a supplier by the name of Freshan Fertilzier which was organized for an electronics business in 1998 suddenly become a favored supplier for the entire package which was said to be overpriced by 1,000 percent? How rue is the allegation Joc-Joc allegedly pocketed 25% of the deal or P182 million?
3. How did he an undersecretary push P728 million out of the vaults of the Philippine Treasury - bypassing Secretary Cito Lorenzo when the P728-million, though part of the 2003 re-enacted budget is part of AFMA (Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act) and therefore part of the SPF (Special Purpose Funds) - not the regular DA Budget. The SPF can only be released with the approval of the President.
4. Is it not true that the professional Cito Lorenzo resigned as DA Secretary - partly because he did not want the DA to be used as a campaign kitty for the 2004 presidential election? Lorenzo was later "sacked" by PGMA allegedly because she lost "heavily" in Mindanao areas where Cito had influence? If what senator Nene Pimentel is saying is true - that is pure and simple politicking by the Palace.
5. Is it true that the fertilizers were not only diluted with water but was useless in some areas like rice and high value crop areas because they were designed for ornamental plants? P728 million or 30% of the P3-billion AFMA funds for all this nonsense? Poor the farmers of this nation, indeed.
6. Would he like to answer how journalist Marlene Esperat who filed graft charges in Mindanao for another P400-million fertilizer mess against Bolante and other officials was gunned down before her own children?
7. Bolante said he wanted to stay in the USA because he feared for his own life - having received veiled threats from "enemies." Who are these "enemies" - those who Bolante cheated of benefits of public funds or those who participated in the plunder and didn't want him to talk?
Adding insult to injury, Ombudsman whose record as top graft buster is as dull as a scarecrow last week dismissed the P400-million graft case earlier filed by the late Esperat for "lack of substantial evidence." Top Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, another law classmate of the First Gentleman, has been dubbed as the Lady Aniano Desierto, whose integrity sometimes "deserted" him under duress.
Now, after the Jocjoc Senate hulabaloo, will our activist-lawyers still have the patience to file anti-graft charges against Joc-Joc and his comrades before this Ombudsman?
Meantime, the poor farmers after being used by the vaudeville of one Bolante et al. - had seen their crops, perhaps ,whither and die - nurtured as they were by overpriced, superbly diluted water - and chemical joke - and everything else that is unfair to the destitute in this nation of 90 million.
Joc-Joc Bolante, the joke has really been on us. Have a conscience.
Two years in American prison and 14 days in plush St Lukes Hospital polished Joc-Joc's dramatic skills and perfected his legal defense - where he played a virtual Pontius Pilate.
In protecting his patrons, Joc-Joc Bolante dumped the blame on the Operations undersecretary, the regional DA heads the LGUs in general who were tasked to distribute the P 728-Million worth of fertilizers to the farmer-beneficiaries.
What appears to be facts now are: three Manila congressmen got cash for fertilizers, some urban-situated public officials got "so-called fertilizers" (fattening the asphalted highways and island plants) and the rest got fertilizers (after May to the rainy months). There were 105 congressmen, 53 governors and 26 municipal mayors or a total of 184 among "Bolante's List."
Some P14-million worth of fertilizers, and not cash, were given - P5 million for Governor Rico Aumentado and P3 million each for Representatives Chatto, Cajes and Jala the Elder. Accordingly, the Governor distributed them to 40 towns, Chatto to one town: Balilihan, Cajes to two: San Isidro and Dagohoy and Jala to one town: Bilar.
If the four local government officials can show proof that the beneficiaries are legitimate farmers and farmer-organizations, that should deem the items "liquidated." Needless to say, however, they should be able to defend the authenticity of these documents in Plaza Rizal, so to speak.
Bolante, accordingly, had his sweet time fabricating his defense thesis inside the air-conditioned comfort of a five star hospital - where due to the length of time, people thought he had undergone all sorts of tests - including the pregnancy test.
Since, Bolante has largely been ambivalent, his pregnancy test (sic) also declared He was "slightly pregnant," one for the Guinness Book of records.
Bolante, who has shamed thousands of honest and patriotic Rotarians the world over, was perceived to have twisted the truth to his convenience and dragging others just to save his skin.
One editorial is not enough to ask lucid, straight questions from one of the best Rotarian friends of the First Gentleman. But some of the few:
1. Since the budget allocation was hatched as early as September 2003, Secretary Art Yap (who was quickly made undersecretary for Luzon operations in February 2007) could not have been a party to the scheme. Bolante is deemed to be the "Architect" of the P728-million Fertilizer Mess.
2. How did a supplier by the name of Freshan Fertilzier which was organized for an electronics business in 1998 suddenly become a favored supplier for the entire package which was said to be overpriced by 1,000 percent? How rue is the allegation Joc-Joc allegedly pocketed 25% of the deal or P182 million?
3. How did he an undersecretary push P728 million out of the vaults of the Philippine Treasury - bypassing Secretary Cito Lorenzo when the P728-million, though part of the 2003 re-enacted budget is part of AFMA (Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act) and therefore part of the SPF (Special Purpose Funds) - not the regular DA Budget. The SPF can only be released with the approval of the President.
4. Is it not true that the professional Cito Lorenzo resigned as DA Secretary - partly because he did not want the DA to be used as a campaign kitty for the 2004 presidential election? Lorenzo was later "sacked" by PGMA allegedly because she lost "heavily" in Mindanao areas where Cito had influence? If what senator Nene Pimentel is saying is true - that is pure and simple politicking by the Palace.
5. Is it true that the fertilizers were not only diluted with water but was useless in some areas like rice and high value crop areas because they were designed for ornamental plants? P728 million or 30% of the P3-billion AFMA funds for all this nonsense? Poor the farmers of this nation, indeed.
6. Would he like to answer how journalist Marlene Esperat who filed graft charges in Mindanao for another P400-million fertilizer mess against Bolante and other officials was gunned down before her own children?
7. Bolante said he wanted to stay in the USA because he feared for his own life - having received veiled threats from "enemies." Who are these "enemies" - those who Bolante cheated of benefits of public funds or those who participated in the plunder and didn't want him to talk?
Adding insult to injury, Ombudsman whose record as top graft buster is as dull as a scarecrow last week dismissed the P400-million graft case earlier filed by the late Esperat for "lack of substantial evidence." Top Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, another law classmate of the First Gentleman, has been dubbed as the Lady Aniano Desierto, whose integrity sometimes "deserted" him under duress.
Now, after the Jocjoc Senate hulabaloo, will our activist-lawyers still have the patience to file anti-graft charges against Joc-Joc and his comrades before this Ombudsman?
Meantime, the poor farmers after being used by the vaudeville of one Bolante et al. - had seen their crops, perhaps ,whither and die - nurtured as they were by overpriced, superbly diluted water - and chemical joke - and everything else that is unfair to the destitute in this nation of 90 million.
Joc-Joc Bolante, the joke has really been on us. Have a conscience.
Causeway residents appeal to limit road expansion job
Residents at the causeway drive in barangay Totolan, Dauis town are demanding a reduction in the proposed road expansion program of the government in line with the upcoming construction of the Panglao Bohol International Airport.
In a letter addressed to DPWH District Engr. Celestino Adlaon, the residents appealed to reduce the four-lane into a two-lane expansion project.
Dr. Menelo Tima-an, spokesman of the group said they find the four-lane highway to be unreasonable considering that a two-lane highway will already be enough to accommodate the volume of traffic. They said that the budgetary outlay for a four-lane highway would be too expensive considering the economic crisis besetting the country. The budget could be utilized for other tourism related projects, they said.
Having a four-lane highway for just two towns (Dauis and Panglao) to be served would be extravagant for government to spend, the concerned residents stressed.
They likewise said that if said expansion project be implemented, a lot of existing structures and houses particularly in sitio Ubos, this city to Totolan, Dauis will be demolished.
"We have labored hard to have these houses, and to destroy them is inhuman, inconsiderate and unkind," the residents wrote in their two-page petition sent to the DPWH, copy furnished to Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto.
The residents suggested that whatever savings be derived from reducing the expansion project can be used for more urgent environmental and sanitation problems in the area.
In a letter addressed to DPWH District Engr. Celestino Adlaon, the residents appealed to reduce the four-lane into a two-lane expansion project.
Dr. Menelo Tima-an, spokesman of the group said they find the four-lane highway to be unreasonable considering that a two-lane highway will already be enough to accommodate the volume of traffic. They said that the budgetary outlay for a four-lane highway would be too expensive considering the economic crisis besetting the country. The budget could be utilized for other tourism related projects, they said.
Having a four-lane highway for just two towns (Dauis and Panglao) to be served would be extravagant for government to spend, the concerned residents stressed.
They likewise said that if said expansion project be implemented, a lot of existing structures and houses particularly in sitio Ubos, this city to Totolan, Dauis will be demolished.
"We have labored hard to have these houses, and to destroy them is inhuman, inconsiderate and unkind," the residents wrote in their two-page petition sent to the DPWH, copy furnished to Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto.
The residents suggested that whatever savings be derived from reducing the expansion project can be used for more urgent environmental and sanitation problems in the area.
Public awaits drainage outfall laboratory tests
The public awaits results of two separate laboratory tests on the run-off rainwater from the drainage outfall at Graham Avenue, this city, fronting the modern Tagbilaran City Port which is the country's premier "tourist port."
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Nestor Canda said the results of the lab test will be interpreted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which is mandated to protect the marine resources after the drainage outfall was opened upon orders of the city mayor last Nov. 6 despite the unresolved issues on the alleged illegal connections.
The opening of the outfall was anchored on the lab test shown by city consultant Engr Cecil Corloncito. However, the said lab test was not recognized by DENR as it was not known where the test was conducted. Canda said "only DENR accredited laboratories are duly recognized."
Gov. Erico Aumentado who intervened in the nagging drainage problem in the city repeatedly said the opening of the outfall surprised him as there was no prior coordination meeting conducted on such decision. The last thing he knew was the city mayor asked him to request the DPWH to turn over the drainage project to the city government before he (Lim) would assume actions on the drainage issue.
However, even before the request of the mayor could be attended to by DPWH, he (mayor) decided to open the drainage outfall.
The opening of the outfall was the "solution to the flooding problem along CPG Avenue," trumpets the city mayor even as the governor expressed concern on the possible pollution it might bring to the seawaters at Tagbilaran Bay.
"The laboratory test is very crucial," the governor said yesterday as he ordered Canda to keep a close monitoring on the lab results. He likewise ordered the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) to subject the water samples at the outfall to another independent laboratory in Cebu City.
While residents along CPG Avenue expressed elation on the end of flooding, the environmental impact at the bay is now greatly being considered by environmentalists here and in other areas who have monitored the dropping of water from a new drainage system to the seawaters without the benefit of a water treatment facility.
The city government has long been declaring to construct a multi-million water treatment facility but nothing has been seen to date. Residents of Taloto district, this city, are divided - whether they will allow or not the construction of water treatment facility in the area.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Nestor Canda said the results of the lab test will be interpreted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which is mandated to protect the marine resources after the drainage outfall was opened upon orders of the city mayor last Nov. 6 despite the unresolved issues on the alleged illegal connections.
The opening of the outfall was anchored on the lab test shown by city consultant Engr Cecil Corloncito. However, the said lab test was not recognized by DENR as it was not known where the test was conducted. Canda said "only DENR accredited laboratories are duly recognized."
Gov. Erico Aumentado who intervened in the nagging drainage problem in the city repeatedly said the opening of the outfall surprised him as there was no prior coordination meeting conducted on such decision. The last thing he knew was the city mayor asked him to request the DPWH to turn over the drainage project to the city government before he (Lim) would assume actions on the drainage issue.
However, even before the request of the mayor could be attended to by DPWH, he (mayor) decided to open the drainage outfall.
The opening of the outfall was the "solution to the flooding problem along CPG Avenue," trumpets the city mayor even as the governor expressed concern on the possible pollution it might bring to the seawaters at Tagbilaran Bay.
"The laboratory test is very crucial," the governor said yesterday as he ordered Canda to keep a close monitoring on the lab results. He likewise ordered the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) to subject the water samples at the outfall to another independent laboratory in Cebu City.
While residents along CPG Avenue expressed elation on the end of flooding, the environmental impact at the bay is now greatly being considered by environmentalists here and in other areas who have monitored the dropping of water from a new drainage system to the seawaters without the benefit of a water treatment facility.
The city government has long been declaring to construct a multi-million water treatment facility but nothing has been seen to date. Residents of Taloto district, this city, are divided - whether they will allow or not the construction of water treatment facility in the area.
“Cover-up” in probe of 2007 COA report
City lawmaker Zenaido Rama cries foul over “attempts to cover up” the inquiry on the audit report of the 2007 financial transactions of the city government.
The minority bloc councilor said fellow lawmakers and City Auditor Teresita Irig “were ganging up” on him instead of enlightening the public on questions he raised in a privilege speech regarding the handling of millions of city funds as contained in the 2007 Commission on Audit (COA) report.
The statement of Rama came after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) session last Friday where Irig and City Accountant Kurt Bungabong were invited to shed light on the COA report.
Instead, Rama found himself being the subject of tirades from among his colleagues regarding figures raised in his privilege speech.
“I could sense, they are trying to protect some people,” Rama said over dyRD Action Line indicating that several names of city officials will be dragged into the multi-million fund mess.
Several times during the SP inquiry, Irig called Rama’s privilege speech as “twisted” and “erroneous.”
To the disappointment of Rama, fellow lawmakers identified with the majority bloc also directed derisive remarks on the issues raised in his privilege speech.
“That was very unfortunate, instead of answering my queries, I became the subject of a smear drive with the intention to discredit my expose,” Rama stressed.
The lawmaker said he was “not satisfied” with the SP proceedings last Friday but however vowed to dig deeper into the audit report mainly on the P6.5 million unliquidated cash advances of city officials.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t care who are those involved in this mess. I have no hidden agenda and I am doing this in the spirit of transparency,” Rama said.
He said more details of the COA report will be revealed to the public.
REVEAL CASH ADVANCES
Kag. Lucio Balbin urged during the SP session that the names of city officials and employees with unliquidated cash advances be revealed.
The city accountant also could not provide the details of the cash advances he claimed some of these accounts were in the process of liquidation.
Kag. Rama likewise inquired why the city auditor did not take note of “lavish, excessive, extravagant and unconscionable expenses” especially on catering for meals at the City Hall.
On the other hand, Kag. Bebiano Inting also questioned why the P2.8 million cost of the geophysical and geosensitivity survey of the proposed Big Bug (sports center) was charged to the account of “construction in progress” when it should have been treated as an outright expense since the project was not pursued.
Moreover, Inting also scored the subsidies to economic enterprises units of the city that have been sustaining losses for the past years. Among the enterprises is the Motor Pool and the Market Operations run by the city which have been reporting losses in the millions of pesos every year.
He said, the subsidies should not be charged to a receivable account since there is no chance of recovering the amount that would in turn “window dress” or overstate the city’s financial statement.
It was however agreed by the SP to endorse in writing the queries raised by Rama to be answered by the city auditor.
For his part, Kagawad Oscar Glovasa, chair of the committee on appropriations asked that pending issues raised out of the 2007 COA report can be addressed to his committee.
OFFICIALS NOT FOLLOWING AUDIT RULES
In a separate interview over dyRD Action Line, city auditor Irig admitted that there are several city officials and employees who do not abide with government accounting procedures.
She said, no matter how often she have been reminding “accountable officers” of their duty to liquidate cash advances, there are still many who do not follow liquidation procedures.
The city auditor said COA is there to ensure that regulations are complied in handling government funds. In fact, Irig said she has been sending demand letters for officials and employees to liquidate their cash advances. However, the COA official failed to bring the list of names of officials and employees who have unliquidated cash advances.
She will be asked to identify these local officials with unliquidated cash advances.
There are specific punishments cited by COA for personnel violating rules and regulations of utilizing funds of the government. The COA report is a public document and any law-abiding citizen can have access to it.
According to Irig, Rama “misquoted” some items in the COA report. She did not elaborate.
However, the COA official explained that “for lack of a better word, I said during the SP session that the privilege speech was ‘twisted."
The COA report which was reviewed by the COA regional office was received by the city government on July 8, 2008.
"We were awaiting committee on appropriations of Kag Glovasa to take it up, but nothing came out, thus, decided to deliver that privilege speech," Rama explained.
The COA Report controversy is not expected to end with last Friday's session with both sides anticipating end-game strategies of the opposing camp.
The minority bloc councilor said fellow lawmakers and City Auditor Teresita Irig “were ganging up” on him instead of enlightening the public on questions he raised in a privilege speech regarding the handling of millions of city funds as contained in the 2007 Commission on Audit (COA) report.
The statement of Rama came after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) session last Friday where Irig and City Accountant Kurt Bungabong were invited to shed light on the COA report.
Instead, Rama found himself being the subject of tirades from among his colleagues regarding figures raised in his privilege speech.
“I could sense, they are trying to protect some people,” Rama said over dyRD Action Line indicating that several names of city officials will be dragged into the multi-million fund mess.
Several times during the SP inquiry, Irig called Rama’s privilege speech as “twisted” and “erroneous.”
To the disappointment of Rama, fellow lawmakers identified with the majority bloc also directed derisive remarks on the issues raised in his privilege speech.
“That was very unfortunate, instead of answering my queries, I became the subject of a smear drive with the intention to discredit my expose,” Rama stressed.
The lawmaker said he was “not satisfied” with the SP proceedings last Friday but however vowed to dig deeper into the audit report mainly on the P6.5 million unliquidated cash advances of city officials.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t care who are those involved in this mess. I have no hidden agenda and I am doing this in the spirit of transparency,” Rama said.
He said more details of the COA report will be revealed to the public.
REVEAL CASH ADVANCES
Kag. Lucio Balbin urged during the SP session that the names of city officials and employees with unliquidated cash advances be revealed.
The city accountant also could not provide the details of the cash advances he claimed some of these accounts were in the process of liquidation.
Kag. Rama likewise inquired why the city auditor did not take note of “lavish, excessive, extravagant and unconscionable expenses” especially on catering for meals at the City Hall.
On the other hand, Kag. Bebiano Inting also questioned why the P2.8 million cost of the geophysical and geosensitivity survey of the proposed Big Bug (sports center) was charged to the account of “construction in progress” when it should have been treated as an outright expense since the project was not pursued.
Moreover, Inting also scored the subsidies to economic enterprises units of the city that have been sustaining losses for the past years. Among the enterprises is the Motor Pool and the Market Operations run by the city which have been reporting losses in the millions of pesos every year.
He said, the subsidies should not be charged to a receivable account since there is no chance of recovering the amount that would in turn “window dress” or overstate the city’s financial statement.
It was however agreed by the SP to endorse in writing the queries raised by Rama to be answered by the city auditor.
For his part, Kagawad Oscar Glovasa, chair of the committee on appropriations asked that pending issues raised out of the 2007 COA report can be addressed to his committee.
OFFICIALS NOT FOLLOWING AUDIT RULES
In a separate interview over dyRD Action Line, city auditor Irig admitted that there are several city officials and employees who do not abide with government accounting procedures.
She said, no matter how often she have been reminding “accountable officers” of their duty to liquidate cash advances, there are still many who do not follow liquidation procedures.
The city auditor said COA is there to ensure that regulations are complied in handling government funds. In fact, Irig said she has been sending demand letters for officials and employees to liquidate their cash advances. However, the COA official failed to bring the list of names of officials and employees who have unliquidated cash advances.
She will be asked to identify these local officials with unliquidated cash advances.
There are specific punishments cited by COA for personnel violating rules and regulations of utilizing funds of the government. The COA report is a public document and any law-abiding citizen can have access to it.
According to Irig, Rama “misquoted” some items in the COA report. She did not elaborate.
However, the COA official explained that “for lack of a better word, I said during the SP session that the privilege speech was ‘twisted."
The COA report which was reviewed by the COA regional office was received by the city government on July 8, 2008.
"We were awaiting committee on appropriations of Kag Glovasa to take it up, but nothing came out, thus, decided to deliver that privilege speech," Rama explained.
The COA Report controversy is not expected to end with last Friday's session with both sides anticipating end-game strategies of the opposing camp.
“No P14M cash for fertilizer”
If figures based on documents of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Commission on Audit (COA) are accurate, the province received P14 million in fertilizer funds at the height of the 2004 elections.
However, Gov. Erico Aumentado, Representatives Edgar Chatto (First District), Roberto Cajes (Second District) and former Third District congressman Eladio Jala all denied they actually received the fertilizer allocations in cash.
Aumentado said he did not receive a single centavo out of the P5 million reportedly given to the provincial government as reflected in the DBM records of fund releases.
Chatto, Cajes and Jala also explained that they did not personally receive the farm inputs or any fund for the purpose.
The DBM and COA documents revealed the three solons as recipients of P3 million each.
The two incumbent solons and Jala, who is now assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), all welcomed the Senate probe into the P728 million fertilizer subsidy that were allegedly diverted to bankroll the 2004 campaign of Arroyo and administration candidates.
During Friday’s “The Governor Reports”, Aumentado said that he was only informed that fertilizers were delivered to the Provincial Agriculture Office. The farm inputs were purportedly purchased by the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog, in a separate interview, confirmed that no less than 40 towns were beneficiaries of the fertilizers distributed by the DA but could not give the amount of the farm inputs.
Quirog recalled having received and distributed the liquid (foliar) fertilizers to the towns sometime in July 2004.
The delivery of the fertilizers was done all at the same time with all the boxes brought to the provincial DA office.
The governor assigned Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Bebot Pinat to handle the distribution of the fertilizers to the municipal agriculture officers in the towns.
SOLONS EXPLAIN
The three solons said they all want to clear their names and welcomes the ongoing Senate inquiry with the testimony of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante.
Rep. Chatto disclosed that it was then DA Regional Director Eduardo Lecciones who facilitated the fertilizer support program funneled directly to the local government units.
In his district, Chatto said it was Balilihan town that became the recipient since the interior town is known for enhancing agricultural productivity.
Vice Mayor Dominisio Chatto, who was then town mayor, was the one who implemented and audited in accordance with the procurement rules and procedures with full documentation.
Full liquidation of fund disbursements was done with the DA regional office, according to Balilihan municipal treasurer Lina Banac.
For his part, Rep. Cajes said he was asked by the regional DA to identify two towns that need fertilizers the most.
Cajes said he recommended San Isidro and Dagohoy towns. After recommending the towns, he never heard again what happened to the fertilizer support.
Then Dagohoy Mayor Sofronio Apat and then San Isidro Mayor Boy Samoya, both were not able to give him updates on the distribution of the fertilizers as he was already in the thick of the campaign for the 2004 elections.
Meanwhile, ASec. Jala said that when asked by Regional Director Eduardo Lecciones what town he wanted to receive fertilizers, he recommended the town of Bilar being one of the top rice producing towns in the province.
He was able to confirm from Bilar Mayor Fanuel Cadelina that organic fertilizers, granules, and not liquid, were distributed in his town.
Cajes, who used to chair the House committee on ethics recalled that Task Force Abuno, created by the Office of the Ombudsman, visited the town when the fertilizer scam erupted in the media.
In fact, he learned that a team from COA visited the town. He was informed by Mayor Cadelina that the team found no irregularity on the distribution of the fertilizers.
“Even before, I already favored the investigation of the fertilizer fund because my district will be affected by this mess when in fact it is really an agricultural district unlike Makati and Quezon City that were also listed to be recipients of farm inputs,” Cajes said.
“I’m sure there are available official records that would help in the investigations,” he added.
PRESIDENT’S ALLIES
According to a report of the Ombudsman, 53 governors, 105 congressmen and 23 municipal and city mayors received different amounts out of the fertilizer fund.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Bohol chair John Ruiz III said while not all solons and local officials got the farm subsidy, most of those included in the list of recipients were identified either as partymates or pro-Arroyo.
According to Ruiz, the three Bohol solons and the governor are just as responsible as the Arroyo administration on the fertilizer scam.
“Being the privileged few of supposed “trusted” government officials to implement such multi-million national program, it entails a sense of responsibility of the individual “public servants” to ensure that his/her poor farmer constituents would not be short change.”
Bayan made this statement as Ruiz claims that farmers under the Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (Humabol) “never heard of the actual distribution process of the fertilizers.”
In a survey conducted over dyRD, 95-percent of respondents do not believe that Pres. Arroyo is not involved in the supposed P728 million anomaly.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
NYC commissioner in hot water for “forgery”
A Boholano commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NYC) is under fire following the filing of both administrative and criminal charges against him before the Ombudsman for alleged misrepresentation and forgery.According to a reliable source, SK leader of Iloilo is taking the cudgels in filing appropriate charges against Commissioner Benjie Oliva, of Catigbian town, before the DILG and the Ombudsman.
SK Bohol led by federated president Jane Censoria Cajes is not taking the issue for granted as it also planned to formally file separate charges against Oliva, the source said, saying this is the only way to rectify what they perceived as corruption of the youth.
The case stemmed from Oliva’s alleged forging the signature of Sec. Ronaldo Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). He allegedly used DILG’s memorandum with Puno’s (forged) signature in it for the conduct of the Integrated Sangguniang Kabataan Organizational Leadership and Reorientation-Basic Orientation Seminar (ISKOLAR-BOS), collecting PhP4,000 for each SK participant as registration fee.
The “forged” memorandum circular was practically addressed to SK officers in regions six, seven and eight, urging SK’s participation for the program. But unfortunately, SK Bohol, belonging to region 7, was “deliberately” excluded in the said memorandum, the source said.
According to the source, the alleged forged signature did not match with that of the original (memorandum) bearing the serial number of Puno’s signature.
The original memorandum circular (with No. 2007-03) dated January 8, 2007 bore the same number but dated January 11, 2007 with different addressee, the source said.
In a phone interview yesterday, Oliva did not confirm nor deny the allegation against him. He said Cajes and company are probably the ones who made this issue blown out of proportion “to discredit him.” He said he did not receive a complaint yet filed against him.
Oliva said he is set to talk this over this week with the SK Bohol represented by Cajes.
While he is contemplating to get reappointed to NYC, Oliva said he is securing clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation, Ombudsman, Sandigan Bayan and other credentials for his reappointment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. His term in the NYC is due to expire yesterday after a three-year term of office.
He said he also got endorsements from Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, Congressmen Adam Jala and Edgar M. Chatto (3rd and 1st dist) but not from Congressman Roberto C. Cajes (2nd dist), father of Jane Censoria Cajes.
Implications of the issue of Oliva’s case may have, perhaps, far-reaching effects, the source said. For sure, Oliva’s obsession to be reappointed to the same position may be in jeopardy once the complaint is raised, the source said. (RVO)
Water sale to Cebu revived
MACTAN, Cebu. – The proposal for Bohol to sell water to Cebu was revived even as the plan for the Cebu-Bohol friendship Bridge is considered a factor for the said water project.
Former Pres. Fidel Ramos last Thursday revived the proposal as the only way to solve Metro Cebu’s water crisis.
But the idea was met with lukewarm reaction by advocates of sustainable water who preferred developing Cebu's small river systems to address the water shortage.
Ramos, who was in Cebu to keynote the 8th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, said Cebu will have a big water problem unless it cooperates with its neighboring province.
He said Bohol has a good water supply because it has a network of irrigation dams. Excess water flushes out to the sea instead of being utilized, he added.
“This was a project we wanted to put up 15 years ago with (former Cebu governor) Lito Osmeña through a BOT (build-operate-transfer) scheme. A pipeline will connect Bohol to Cebu,” Ramos told reporters in a press conference.
The project did not push through because of “cultural reasons,” he said.Ramos said Boholanos were hesitant to supply water because they did not want Bohol to be considered as a “colony of Cebu.”
Ramos was president when the national government footed the bill for a multi-million feasibility study for the Bohol-Cebu Water Supply Project, which would cost about P3.2 billion.
The ambitious project was to bring in water from Inabanga town in Bohol to Mactan Island, Cebu through a 30-km submarine pipeline. Pumping stations would then distribute the water to other areas of Metro Cebu.
It maybe recalled that a foreign consortium, ANGLO and its partner Kinhill Brown & Root, submitted a BOT proposal to the Bohol provincial government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
But the project did not push through mainly due to the objection of the Boholanos who feared the effects of the project on the environment. They were afraid that it would deplete their own water supply.
Osmeña, who was then economic adviser to Ramos, had explained the project would only harvest the run-off water from the river before it would reach the sea.
Aside from the objections of the Boholanos, Ramos said the project also lacked investors who were willing to gamble to take on the project.
“You need somebody who’s willing to gamble in the project. Our capitalists here are siguristas...We need (people like that) for water,” he said.
Ramos said the project could still be feasible and doable if the plan to construct the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge would push through.
The 90-kilometer bridge (including its causeway) which will connect Cordova town on Mactan Island, Cebu and Getafe town in Bohol, has an estimated cost of P20 billion.
Buying water from Bohol in the year 1995 would cost P60 per cubic meter.
It would be the same cost as building the proposed 90-meter high dam in Mananga.
.Cebu City Planning and Development Coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete said Metro Cebu uses 100 percent ground water unlike in Manila that uses 60 percent surface water and 40 percent ground water.
Data from the MCWD’s Water Resources Knowledge Center showed that from June 2007 to June 2008, average water production reached more than five million cubic meters per month or roughly 166,000 cubic meters per day.
More than four million cubic meters were derived from ground water, while more than 200,000 cubic meters were obtained from surface water sources.Another 435,00 cubic meters were sourced from bulk water suppliers like Mactan Rock Industries Inc., Foremost Water and Abejo Builders Corp.
There is a dam which is supposed to provide 500,000 cubic meters of water every day but it can only give 156,000 cu m because of siltation.
Siltation, which is primarily due to illegal logging and kaingin (slash and burn farming), occurs when soil or sediment gets suspended in bodies of water resulting to muddy and dirty water.
Quoting 2004 results of the Water Remind project sponsored by the Dutch government, Metro Cebu has a total demand of 284,000 cubic meters of water every day. But MCWD can only provide 170,000 cubic meters or 60 percent --of the total demand.
Rapid economic development and population growth will increase daily water demand by more than 300,000 cubic meters in 2012.
Metro Cebu covers the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Naga and the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova.
As of June 2008, MCWD has 118,161 water subscribers. (Cris Evert Lato, Cebu Daily News)
Former Pres. Fidel Ramos last Thursday revived the proposal as the only way to solve Metro Cebu’s water crisis.
But the idea was met with lukewarm reaction by advocates of sustainable water who preferred developing Cebu's small river systems to address the water shortage.
Ramos, who was in Cebu to keynote the 8th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production, said Cebu will have a big water problem unless it cooperates with its neighboring province.
He said Bohol has a good water supply because it has a network of irrigation dams. Excess water flushes out to the sea instead of being utilized, he added.
“This was a project we wanted to put up 15 years ago with (former Cebu governor) Lito Osmeña through a BOT (build-operate-transfer) scheme. A pipeline will connect Bohol to Cebu,” Ramos told reporters in a press conference.
The project did not push through because of “cultural reasons,” he said.Ramos said Boholanos were hesitant to supply water because they did not want Bohol to be considered as a “colony of Cebu.”
Ramos was president when the national government footed the bill for a multi-million feasibility study for the Bohol-Cebu Water Supply Project, which would cost about P3.2 billion.
The ambitious project was to bring in water from Inabanga town in Bohol to Mactan Island, Cebu through a 30-km submarine pipeline. Pumping stations would then distribute the water to other areas of Metro Cebu.
It maybe recalled that a foreign consortium, ANGLO and its partner Kinhill Brown & Root, submitted a BOT proposal to the Bohol provincial government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
But the project did not push through mainly due to the objection of the Boholanos who feared the effects of the project on the environment. They were afraid that it would deplete their own water supply.
Osmeña, who was then economic adviser to Ramos, had explained the project would only harvest the run-off water from the river before it would reach the sea.
Aside from the objections of the Boholanos, Ramos said the project also lacked investors who were willing to gamble to take on the project.
“You need somebody who’s willing to gamble in the project. Our capitalists here are siguristas...We need (people like that) for water,” he said.
Ramos said the project could still be feasible and doable if the plan to construct the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge would push through.
The 90-kilometer bridge (including its causeway) which will connect Cordova town on Mactan Island, Cebu and Getafe town in Bohol, has an estimated cost of P20 billion.
Buying water from Bohol in the year 1995 would cost P60 per cubic meter.
It would be the same cost as building the proposed 90-meter high dam in Mananga.
.Cebu City Planning and Development Coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete said Metro Cebu uses 100 percent ground water unlike in Manila that uses 60 percent surface water and 40 percent ground water.
Data from the MCWD’s Water Resources Knowledge Center showed that from June 2007 to June 2008, average water production reached more than five million cubic meters per month or roughly 166,000 cubic meters per day.
More than four million cubic meters were derived from ground water, while more than 200,000 cubic meters were obtained from surface water sources.Another 435,00 cubic meters were sourced from bulk water suppliers like Mactan Rock Industries Inc., Foremost Water and Abejo Builders Corp.
There is a dam which is supposed to provide 500,000 cubic meters of water every day but it can only give 156,000 cu m because of siltation.
Siltation, which is primarily due to illegal logging and kaingin (slash and burn farming), occurs when soil or sediment gets suspended in bodies of water resulting to muddy and dirty water.
Quoting 2004 results of the Water Remind project sponsored by the Dutch government, Metro Cebu has a total demand of 284,000 cubic meters of water every day. But MCWD can only provide 170,000 cubic meters or 60 percent --of the total demand.
Rapid economic development and population growth will increase daily water demand by more than 300,000 cubic meters in 2012.
Metro Cebu covers the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Naga and the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova.
As of June 2008, MCWD has 118,161 water subscribers. (Cris Evert Lato, Cebu Daily News)
Lim calls Chatto for “open line”
City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday called for an “open line” with Rep. Edgar Chatto whose political paths always comes opposing at each other because of the former’s allegations that the last-termer solon has positioned his brother-in-law, City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso to run against him in the 2010 elections.
However, the vocal mayor sounded “friendly” yesterday when he appreciated the call of Rep. Chatto in his top-rated “Mayor’s Report” over dyRD where the solon explained his side regarding the raging issue on the drainage problem in the city.
For his part, Chatto said the communication line to the city mayor remains open as far as he is concerned especially that the city belongs to the 1st congressional district.
Lim and Chatto who call each other as “chief” sounded so calm and friendly over the airlane yesterday.
The mayor told the solon “it’s better if we always communicate personally and not send messages through Provincial Board Member Ae Damalerio or Vice Mayor Veloso.”
For Lim, he considers both Damalerio and Veloso as political allies of the solon.
It maybe recalled that Lim reacted sharply when Damalerio who is the chair of the committee on environment of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan commented on the drainage issue.
The city mayor is always quoted as saying that both the provincial board member and the vice mayor are speaking like “spokesmen” of Rep. Chatto.
For their part, Damalerio and Veloso always defend themselves saying that if they tackle public issues, they are acting on their individual capacities as duly elected officials and not as speakers of the solon.
However, the vocal mayor sounded “friendly” yesterday when he appreciated the call of Rep. Chatto in his top-rated “Mayor’s Report” over dyRD where the solon explained his side regarding the raging issue on the drainage problem in the city.
For his part, Chatto said the communication line to the city mayor remains open as far as he is concerned especially that the city belongs to the 1st congressional district.
Lim and Chatto who call each other as “chief” sounded so calm and friendly over the airlane yesterday.
The mayor told the solon “it’s better if we always communicate personally and not send messages through Provincial Board Member Ae Damalerio or Vice Mayor Veloso.”
For Lim, he considers both Damalerio and Veloso as political allies of the solon.
It maybe recalled that Lim reacted sharply when Damalerio who is the chair of the committee on environment of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan commented on the drainage issue.
The city mayor is always quoted as saying that both the provincial board member and the vice mayor are speaking like “spokesmen” of Rep. Chatto.
For their part, Damalerio and Veloso always defend themselves saying that if they tackle public issues, they are acting on their individual capacities as duly elected officials and not as speakers of the solon.
City to stop sale NPC power plant
City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday declared he will be filing a complaint at the Regional Trial Court against the bidding and sale of the Bohol power diesel plant by the National Power Corporation (NPC).Speaking during his weekly “Mayor’s Report” over dyRD, Lim said he has taken the cudgels for power consumers in starting a campaign to stop the sale that will result in the escalation of electricity rates.
“The sale of our power plant to private groups must be stopped,” the mayor stressed as he called for unity in the drive against the sale.
The NPC through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) has put up for bidding the 22-megawatt Bohol Diesel Plant in Dampas.
Mayor Lim said that if the plant is sold, “the power rate in Bohol will double.”
He said that if the power generation is already handled by the private sector, there will no longer be government subsidy on the cost of power.
The present power requirement of the province is being served by Bohol Electric Cooperatives (Boheco) I and II and the Bohol Light Corporation Inc. (BLCI) which in turn purchase power from the NPC.
A comparative schedule of power rates provided by the mayor to the Chronicle showed that NPC, which owns both the Leyte Geothermal and the Bohol diesel plants which are its power sources, sells power to the cooperatives and BLCI at P2.8679 per kilowatt hour (Kwh) as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
BLCI is selling electricity at about P7.50 per Kwh after transmission charges, franchise and benefits to host communities, adjustments, overhead and profit.
The ERC-approved NPC generation charge is much lower than the true cost of the power generated by the NPC Bohol diesel plant which uses the expensive bunker and diesel fuels.
“Considering that the price of crude oil as of September 18 is at US$91.54, NPC’s actual cost of producing power is about P10.15 Kwh,” the mayor reasoned.
NPC is able to sell its power at P2.8679 Kwh since it has large coal plants elsewhere in the country that run on cheaper fuel to subsidize its diesel plants.
Lim revealed that PSALM has already advertised its invitation to bid last September 3 to 5 for both the 146.5 megawatt Panay diesel power plant and the 22-megawatt Bohol diesel power plant on an “as is where is” basis.
“If the Dampas diesel plant is sold to the private sector, Boholano power consumers will no longer avail of subsidized cost of power from NPC,” Lim warned.
The mayor said that with the high cost of crude oil and the margin of profit, the power rate will “soar to the sky”.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod on Friday likewise sponsored a resolution urging the NPC and PSALM to defer the bidding of the Dampas diesel plant.
“The withdrawal of the government subsidy will mean an increase in power rates to at least twice the price of power currently being paid by power consumers to prohibitive levels,” the resolution stated.
The SP measure was sponsored by City councilors Edgar Bompat, Oscar Glovasa, Leonides Borja, Nerio Zamora II, Danilo Bantugan, Faro Cabalit and Rammy June Alturas.
Lim also challenged provincial officials to rally behind the move blocking the sale of which “could more than double the power rates.”
He said he will be meeting with Gov. Erico Aumentado on Tuesday where he will also raise this concern.
“High power rates will trigger economic crisis and will negate development initiatives that have been undertaken in Tagbilaran and the province,” the mayor concluded.
( By KIT BAGAIPO)
30 days to cut sewerage lines
Commercial buildings and homes connecting to the city drainage network will be given 30 days to voluntarily cut their sewer lines.
This was the ultimatum given by City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.
Lim said this is an offshoot of a dialogue with Sec. Jose Atienza of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who came here on Wednesday to keynote a national gathering of foresters at the Bohol Tropics Resort.
According to Lim, he has coordinated with the local DENR in order to draw the guidelines in cutting the illegal sewer lines tapped into the city drainage as recommended by Sec. Atienza.
Sec. Atienza said the city government should implement the disconnection.
He declared that city residents should not be made to suffer because of violations committed by some business establishments and households that are connecting their sewers into the drainage system.
Atienza’s decision guided local authorities on how to resolve the deadlock after blaming each other including the DENR and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Majority of city residents, meanwhile, disagree on Atienza’s decision. In a survey conducted by dyRD’s top-rated “Inyong Alagad”, 83 percent of the respondents said they want the illegal connections to be plugged before opening the drainage outfall in Graham Avenue.
Lawyer Victor dela Serna, owner of the lot where the drainage outfall is located, has also aired concerns over Atienza’s decision.
“It seems that City Hall is apprehensive of implementing its own ordinance (prohibiting the illegal drainage taps) since most of the violators are prominent businessmen and influential city residents,” Dela Serna noted.
Atienza however clarified that he has explicitly ordered the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and ensure that the water that will be discharged from the drainage will not spoil the marine environment in Tagbilaran bay.
“I have been apprised of the problem and I also believe residents should not be sacrificed everytime there is a heavy downpour,” he said.
“However, since there are laws prohibiting sewer lines coming from commercial buildings and households, violators must be punished,” Atienza stressed.
Atienza reasoned that the volume of pollution brought by the clogged drainage network and the illegal connections could not be determined unless it is submitted for laboratory test.
PENRO Nestro Canda told the Chronicle he will bring samples of water from the drainage when he goes to Cebu tomorrow.
“Our technical men will monitor and get water samples by the time the drainage is opened.”
“While we are not yet able to correct the irregularities, I have instructed the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and rush the cutting of illegal connections,” Atienza declared.
Atienza pressed that it is the local government units who should implement the disconnection.
“I am an advocate of local autonomy. Local government units must be supported so that they will have the political will to implement our laws.”
“The plan of the city government to put up a waste water treatment facility must be fast tracked,” Atienza urged.
The DENR boss said it is much easier now to go after environmental violators as so-called “green courts” have already been established by the Supreme Court to handle cases pertaining to the environment.
The city drainage system along CPG Avenue is packaged with the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project as implemented by the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Philippine Japan Highways Loan Project who had Hanjin Heavy Engineering doing the construction.
Hanjin had said that the illegal connections got the green-light of the PMO, despite the fact that the project specifically states that the canals would only be for rain water.
To put up a conduit for the rain water to flow out to the sea, the DPWH implemented the San Jose street drainage and outfall towards Tagbilaran bay.
(By KIT BAGAIPO)
This was the ultimatum given by City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.
Lim said this is an offshoot of a dialogue with Sec. Jose Atienza of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who came here on Wednesday to keynote a national gathering of foresters at the Bohol Tropics Resort.
According to Lim, he has coordinated with the local DENR in order to draw the guidelines in cutting the illegal sewer lines tapped into the city drainage as recommended by Sec. Atienza.
Sec. Atienza said the city government should implement the disconnection.
He declared that city residents should not be made to suffer because of violations committed by some business establishments and households that are connecting their sewers into the drainage system.
Atienza’s decision guided local authorities on how to resolve the deadlock after blaming each other including the DENR and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Majority of city residents, meanwhile, disagree on Atienza’s decision. In a survey conducted by dyRD’s top-rated “Inyong Alagad”, 83 percent of the respondents said they want the illegal connections to be plugged before opening the drainage outfall in Graham Avenue.
Lawyer Victor dela Serna, owner of the lot where the drainage outfall is located, has also aired concerns over Atienza’s decision.
“It seems that City Hall is apprehensive of implementing its own ordinance (prohibiting the illegal drainage taps) since most of the violators are prominent businessmen and influential city residents,” Dela Serna noted.
Atienza however clarified that he has explicitly ordered the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and ensure that the water that will be discharged from the drainage will not spoil the marine environment in Tagbilaran bay.
“I have been apprised of the problem and I also believe residents should not be sacrificed everytime there is a heavy downpour,” he said.
“However, since there are laws prohibiting sewer lines coming from commercial buildings and households, violators must be punished,” Atienza stressed.
Atienza reasoned that the volume of pollution brought by the clogged drainage network and the illegal connections could not be determined unless it is submitted for laboratory test.
PENRO Nestro Canda told the Chronicle he will bring samples of water from the drainage when he goes to Cebu tomorrow.
“Our technical men will monitor and get water samples by the time the drainage is opened.”
“While we are not yet able to correct the irregularities, I have instructed the local DENR to coordinate with the city government and rush the cutting of illegal connections,” Atienza declared.
Atienza pressed that it is the local government units who should implement the disconnection.
“I am an advocate of local autonomy. Local government units must be supported so that they will have the political will to implement our laws.”
“The plan of the city government to put up a waste water treatment facility must be fast tracked,” Atienza urged.
The DENR boss said it is much easier now to go after environmental violators as so-called “green courts” have already been established by the Supreme Court to handle cases pertaining to the environment.
The city drainage system along CPG Avenue is packaged with the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project as implemented by the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Philippine Japan Highways Loan Project who had Hanjin Heavy Engineering doing the construction.
Hanjin had said that the illegal connections got the green-light of the PMO, despite the fact that the project specifically states that the canals would only be for rain water.
To put up a conduit for the rain water to flow out to the sea, the DPWH implemented the San Jose street drainage and outfall towards Tagbilaran bay.
(By KIT BAGAIPO)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Solons to block population bill
All three Bohol congressmen vowed to oppose the passage of the controversial population management bill even as the measure is gaining supporters ahead of plenary debates in the House of Representatives starting tomorrow.While more congressmen are purportedly backing House Bill 5043, a bill seeking to enact a population control measure, Representatives Edgar Chatto (1st district), Roberto Cajes (2nd district) and Adam Relson Jala (3rd district) stood firm with their position to vote against the measure.
Chatto told the Chronicle yesterday that the three Bohol solons are all pro-life and will not support HB 5043.
“We have been consistent with our position that we are against the measure which actually weakens the fiber of moral life,” Chatto stressed.
Cajes, for his part said he will definitely vote against the reproductive health bill adding that “it will not compliment sound economic policy neither will it contribute to poverty reduction.”
“Self-discipline and self-control will solve most, if not all, our problems,” Cajes pointed out countering the argument of the bill’s proponents that over-population is interrelated with poverty.
Meanwhile, Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso also renewed his call for the faithful to help lobby to lawmakers and persuade them to block the reproductive health bill.
Medroso, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal
Commission on Canon Law, said the issue is a serious matter for the Church because “it is a threat to the sanctity of family and life.”
HOUSE DEBATES
Vigorous debates on the proposed measure is expected during the House plenary starting tomorrow.
Yesterday, HB 5043 chief proponent and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman fired the opening salvo declaring that the Catholic Church would render itself “irrelevant” to its flock by continuously opposing the bill.
Lagman insists that an overwhelming number of Filipinos “strongly approve of the government’s allocation of funds for modern contraceptives.”
“If the Catholic Church wants to continue to become significant in the lives of the faithful, [it] must listen to [its] flock or risk of becoming irrelevant,” he said.
SOUND ECONOMIC POLICY
According to Chatto, a sound economic policy should address the issue on poverty.
“Personally, in the hierarchy of values there are provisions in the bill that I cannot take such as encouraging sex education at a very young age,” the solon explained.
Chatto said the provision for full access to modern contraceptives would also mean a huge cut of our national allocation for public health.
He explained that if the bill is adopted, contraceptives will be accessible alongside with common drugs.
Chatto believes that achieving the desired size of a family can be accomplished through a joint advocacy of the state and the Church such as providing opportunities for work.
BIGGER PROTEST
Bishop Medroso led a huge crowd more than a month ago to rally against the House bill.
Medroso, considered as one of the Catholic Church’s influential leaders, promised a “bigger protest” if Congress will approve the bill.
“Boholanos have shown their faith in God recognizing the sacredness of life,” Medroso said.
Catholic dioceses in the country have been holding prayer rallies, and started lobbying to lawmakers.
“Dioceses nationwide should unite for the nationwide protest to reject a proposed bill that destroys life,” Medroso added.
Medroso said he is ready to mobilize parishioners in the Tagbilaran Diocese for the success of the campaign to scrap the legislative measure.
SURVEYS
With the House debates set beginning tomorrow, Lagman made public a Pulse Asia survey that purportedly indicated popular support for his population control advocacy.
He said that the survey, conducted before the 2007 elections, showed that 90 percent of Catholic respondents supposedly “declared their support for state subsidy of modern contraceptives.”
Catholics opposed to the bill consider the state subsidy provision an affront to their religious belief, noting that the government would be using taxpayers’ money, which is collected mainly from the predominantly Catholic population – for a policy directly against the teachings of the Church.
More than four decades ago, Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical “Humanae Vitae” to enlighten its faithful on questions over matters such as over-population.
The document, for instance, tackles the common argument of “pro-choice” lawmakers that contraceptive use would lead to “women empowerment” in the face of their partners’ domestic abuse, a situation supposedly prevalent in rural Philippines.
“A man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection,” Paul VI wrote in 1968.
But Lagman insisted that according to the Pulse Asia survey results, 89 percent of the respondents were in favor of government fund allocation for contraceptive methods such as pills, intrauterine devices, condoms, ligation, and vasectomy.
Overall, he said, 92 percent of them “believe it is important to mitigate fertility and plan their family.”
By KIT BAGAIPO
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Panglao Officialdom passes test
If Panglao Island was an Academy, its officialdom passed the Pre-Finals Test last Friday.Keeping their cool, though privately peeved by the political intramurals in Panglao politics, the prime movers Governor Rico Aumentado and First District Congressman Edgar Chatto convened the Panglao officials before scores of private stockholders, long agitated by the stalemate over the potable water issue in the island Paradise.
The backdrop was grim as the result so damaging if no decision was made Friday. It would have be prejudicial to the efforts to buttress Panglao's claim as successor to the famed Boracay and the P 4-Billion international airport project would have seemed to outsiders like a daunting task - given the fact that people could not even resolve the water issue.The clock was ticking - and time waits for no one.
So it was perhaps the fear of a business disaster and public relation nightmare - that Panglao officials led by Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes finally buried the hatchet under the glare of media, the Provincial Officaldom and tourism stakeholders.
They blinked amidst this pressure - and the Sangguniang Bayan of Panglao was post haste assembled and decided the Panglao Potable Water Project will now go on with Competitive Bidding rather than Open Access execution at the soonest possible time.
Why it would take the iron fist of the provincial brass and an peeved public opinion to address a basic concern an issue in Panglao is an indictment against the parochial politics of destruction and nihilism of the island officials. The successful Friday consultation also proved, however, that they are not beyond redemption.
But after the press photo opportunity, the Final Test of implementation is still to be carried out.
Let's do the competitive bidding with utter transparency and meritrocacy in mind and filter out the bogus, fly-by-night pretenders.
Let's do the competitive bidding with utter transparency and meritrocacy in mind and filter out the bogus, fly-by-night pretenders.
No other day must be lost hereafter - otherwise the sin of procrastination and sloth will be added to the previous list of parochialism, politicking and fighting for vested self interest. The people of Panglao and Bohol have had enough.
The time for final redemption of Panglao is about to begin.
Guv defends purchase of BMs’ 13 Crosswind
Countering allegations that the 13 Isuzu Crosswinds for provincial board members is overpriced, Gov. Erico Aumentado said the bidding and award of the purchase contract is in order.The vehicle purchase is funded out of a P10.8 million savings of the provincial government from salaries of unfilled positions in its different offices.
Aumentado personally presented a computation of the purchase of the 13 brand new vehicles refuting claims that the Crosswinds are overpriced by at least P17,000 each.
The bidding and award of the vehicle purchase already raised doubts when only one bidder, Isuzu Mandaue, submitted a proposal.
According to Aumentado, the approved budget of the contract (ABC) was P10,666,914.83 or P820,531.90 for each unit. This unit price is allegedly P17,000 higher than the selling price of a local Isuzu dealer.
The submitted price of Isuzu Mandaue exactly matched the ABC.
However, the governor justified that due to government procurement rules which requires deductions of 1% for EVAT and a withholding tax of 5%, the net cost of each unit is already P771,709.41.
Aumentado said the net price is much lower than the alleged selling price of a local supplier which is P783,000.
The purchase of new vehicles for provincial board members provoked a public debate as most of the existing vehicles of the lawmakers are still serviceable.
Board members explained that the purchase of new vehicles were necessary for them to efficiently attend to the needs and concerns of their constituents.
Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera himself said that the vehicles are “a necessity rather than a luxury”.
The plan to buy new vehicles started in 2005, when Herrera objected to the high maintenance and repair costs incurred by the provincial government on the old vehicles.
Aumentado said under the Government Procurement Act, awarding a contract to a lone bidder is allowed as long as the bid price submitted is responsive to ABC.
(By: KIT BAGAIPO)
(By: KIT BAGAIPO)
ERC to rule on franchise tax; Critics “no show” at hearing
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) can now rule on a petition filed by Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI) to collect franchise taxes from its power consumers.
Not a single oppositor on Bohol Light’s petition attended the public hearing called by the ERC last August 28 despite a much-hyped opposition led by Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim who challenged the legal personality of the utility firm.
ERC Commissioner Rauf Tan, who presided the public hearing, said the failure of the oppositors to manifest their position on Bohol Light’s petition will be treated as a waiver of their right to argue their position on the matter.
Lim, together with Nemesio Monton of the Tagbilaran Association of Concerned Consumers Organization (Tacco), were the main oppositors of the petition.
During the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) regular session on Friday, Kag. Anne Mariquit Oppus queried on the mayor’s failure to attend the ERC hearing.
Kag. Danilo Bantugan explained that the legal panel representing the mayor had decided for a no show before the August 28 hearing.
The statement of Bantugan contradicted the mayor’s explanation yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.
According to Lim, the notice of the hearing was received by his office on August 26. However, he was able to read it only on September 1 as he was in Manila for the ISA presentation.
A check made by the Chronicle at the LBC, the mail courier of the ERC notice, revealed that the notices were received by Bohol Light, the City Legal Office, the Mayor’s Office and Monton’s legal counsel Atty. Magdoza all on August 22.
Bohol Light will charge P36.5 million worth of franchise taxes it paid to the national and city governments since 2001.
The franchise taxes will be added as a separate item on the monthly electric bills of consumers for a period of three years.
It may be recalled that Lim opposed the tax recovery measure and raised a pre-judicial question regarding the validity of Bohol Light’s franchise that was issued by the National Electrification Commission on July 10, 2003.
Citing the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that gave exclusive authority to the House of Representatives in issuing franchises in the transmission and distribution of electricity, Lim asked the ERC, to rule first on the franchise issue before giving due course to Bohol Light’s petition. (With reports from Chito Visarra)
(By KIT BAGAIPO)
Not a single oppositor on Bohol Light’s petition attended the public hearing called by the ERC last August 28 despite a much-hyped opposition led by Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim who challenged the legal personality of the utility firm.
ERC Commissioner Rauf Tan, who presided the public hearing, said the failure of the oppositors to manifest their position on Bohol Light’s petition will be treated as a waiver of their right to argue their position on the matter.
Lim, together with Nemesio Monton of the Tagbilaran Association of Concerned Consumers Organization (Tacco), were the main oppositors of the petition.
During the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) regular session on Friday, Kag. Anne Mariquit Oppus queried on the mayor’s failure to attend the ERC hearing.
Kag. Danilo Bantugan explained that the legal panel representing the mayor had decided for a no show before the August 28 hearing.
The statement of Bantugan contradicted the mayor’s explanation yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report”.
According to Lim, the notice of the hearing was received by his office on August 26. However, he was able to read it only on September 1 as he was in Manila for the ISA presentation.
A check made by the Chronicle at the LBC, the mail courier of the ERC notice, revealed that the notices were received by Bohol Light, the City Legal Office, the Mayor’s Office and Monton’s legal counsel Atty. Magdoza all on August 22.
Bohol Light will charge P36.5 million worth of franchise taxes it paid to the national and city governments since 2001.
The franchise taxes will be added as a separate item on the monthly electric bills of consumers for a period of three years.
It may be recalled that Lim opposed the tax recovery measure and raised a pre-judicial question regarding the validity of Bohol Light’s franchise that was issued by the National Electrification Commission on July 10, 2003.
Citing the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that gave exclusive authority to the House of Representatives in issuing franchises in the transmission and distribution of electricity, Lim asked the ERC, to rule first on the franchise issue before giving due course to Bohol Light’s petition. (With reports from Chito Visarra)
(By KIT BAGAIPO)
Panglao agrees to bid water supplier
The tourists’ haven of Panglao would finally get the potable water, as elusively pursued during the past decade due to political intramurals among its local officials.This breakthrough came last Friday after the provincial leadership intervened to “rescue” the never ending debates on which waterworks utilities would serve the water requirements in the various beach resorts and the residences of this coastal municipality.
Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto took time to preside over a public consultation/hearing to resolve the deadlock on the water issue which dates back to the previous administration of then Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan.
The urgency to solve the water issue came as the construction of the proposed Panglao Bohol International Airport is slated to commence first quarter of next year.
The five-hour public consultation at the Panglao Island Community Center was attended by some 100 stakeholders including resort owners who expressed dismay on the delayed resolution of the water controversy.
In their efforts to prove attendees that they are also in search for the entry of a waterworks utilities, Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes made an unprecedented move to convene a special session of the Sangguniang Bayan in the presence of the stakeholders who were eager to know the final decision to be reached by the warring political factions.
The public consultation paved the way to the holding of the special session where the town lawmakers were united, for the first time, to approve an open competitive bidding for whichever waterworks firms interested to serve Panglao especially with the forthcoming construction of an airport.
Provincial BM Ae Damalerio was appointed to moderate the public hearing.Aumentado praised Alcala, Fuertes and the councilors for showing true statesmanship “by putting the interest of Panglao and its people first over and above their personal interests.”Following the PowerPoint presentation of lawyer John Titus Vistal, provincial planning and development coordinator, that gave a choice between a competitive bidding or open access mode of implementing the waterworks system improvement, the choice of the stakeholders, the mayor and the SB gravitated towards competitive bidding.The town gets to operate the existing waterworks system and stands to gain from the economic enterprise. It will also revamp the existing pipe network, making use of a 14-inch diameter mainline, taking care that the it as well as lateral lines do not cross the runway of the Panglao Bohol International Airport, and expand the pipe network to all sitios. The winning bidder will source the water from mainland Bohol.In contrast, the open access mode will allow several entities at the same time to install pipelines from their respective water sources outside of Panglao going to the town as well a build their respective piping networks to serve their consumers. This augurs well for a healthy competition – making water services good but keeping the prices down. Alcala said the water problem – although long suffered by the residents – is relatively easy to solve. All he needed, more than the money to upgrade the existing pipelines, expand the water system to cover all barangays and sitios, and to buy the fresh water that has to be sourced from outside of the island, is “concerted efforts” from the SB. During his previous term, he had started looking for solutions to the perennial lack of fresh water in Panglao but, he lamented, his successor, Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, did not pursue the plans, hence the problem has persisted until now – his first term as mayor again when given a fresh mandate in 2007 by the people..For his part, Fuertes said at least four companies have presented proposals already. The SB would like to tap the one most beneficial to the resort town to address once and for all the salty and insufficient water supply.The SB members also took turns expressing their intention to solve the water lack.The competitive bidding mode ultimately won.Aumentado and Chatto expressed elation that the water issue was finally resolved.Realizing that they had the same objective with the mayor after all – to provide the Panglaoanons including the tourists with potable, sanitary and safe drinking tap water instead of the salty one available from current sources – the SB passed as resolution in a special session within Friday’s public consultation to adopt the competitive bidding mode.The governor assigned Vistal to sit down with the municipal planning and development coordinator and the town’s recently created technical working group (TWG) for water to craft the terms of reference so that the notice of bidding can be published the soonest possible time.Friday’s public consultation in essence scrapped the SB’s plan to tap the Asia Mizu, Inc. a Cebu-based company that had expressed interest to bulk-supply fresh water. The SB even already passed a resolution authorizing Alcala to enter into a contract with the company for the bulk water deal.Alcala however balked, saying he is not keen on signing the contract because in the first place, he has not even seen it.
He questioned the resolution favoring Asia Mizu when there are other suppliers like the Bohol Water Utilities, Inc., Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. and the Maynilad Water, Inc. that have also expressed interest in providing bulk water supply.
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