SP can’t tolerate politics to sabotage rehabilitation ------------------------------ The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) could not allow what seems to be chronic politics to sabotage or hold hostage the huge task of rehabilitation and full recovery of the province. It recognized that Gov. Edgar Chatto has himself kept lobbying for more national support to address arising likely and yet unforeseen deficiencies even if previous releases, like the P2.3 billion Bohol Earthquake Assistance (BEA), are operationalized. Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim on Friday led the provincial board in revising---despite the opposition of one member---the allocation of trust fund of calamity aids received by the provincial government to include the P3.2 million administrative cost of BEA implementation. The trust fund, which totals to P49.7 million, is separate and distinct from BEA and other national aids as it came from mostly donations from local government units in different parts of the country. Board Member Dionisio Balite “defied” explanation from fellows in the SP, to the point of telling them that he would have still opposed it had he not failed to attend a day earlier the meeting of the Committee of the Whole recommending approval of the revision. Two sessions earlier, Balite, rumored to be promised the vice gubernatorial slot by the opposition, joined capitol detractors in reviving the long-settled joint venture issue and insinuated as fake the national honors for Bohol governance. The P3.2 million is necessary to the two-year operation of the Provincial Project Management Team (PPMT) in the implementation of BEA which, according to Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, involves 1,108 rehabilitation projects in 42 towns and lone city of Tagbilaran. The cost includes the hiring of structural engineers and other technical people as certain mayors even already expressed apprehension this early about likely headaches should their LGUs solely rely on the their limited technical capabilities against the numerous simultaneous rehabilitation works. SP Floor Leader Cesar Tomas Lopez confirmed that the same was complained to him by his brother, Mayor Peter Llyod Lopez, of Loon where there are over 50 BEA projects for execution. Sagbayan, also a severely-devastated town during the earthquake, has bigger task of implementing rehabilitation projects worth over 240 million, the largest allocation from BEA. The BEA is intended for the reconstruction and repair of earthquake-damaged local public infrastructures and facilities like city and municipal halls and other government buildings, barangay halls, health centers, Day Care centers, cultural centers, parks and plazas, markets, waterworks systems bridges, etcetera. The P3.2 million allocation is also for the regular or periodic consultative meetings between the PPMT and LGUs; supervision, monitoring of project activities; equipment for efficient project documentation; maintenance and other operating expenses during years of BEA works. The breakdown of the BEA administrative support activities, and even of the revised trust fund allocation, was given to every board member consistent with capitol transparency but Balite still declared, “I vote No!” Board Member Abeleon Damalerio had the SP Committee of the Whole recommendation favoring the the revision of the trust fund approved by the board in session Friday, with Balite objecting by his lonesome. The revision was endorsed by the governor to the legislature after it was earlier adopted in a resolution passed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC). A tabloid press release, although unknown as to its writer, sharply accused capitol of “paugat” over the administrative cost even if the issue underwent proper legislative discussion and review in both committee and plenary levels---and bared naked to its oppositor for full scrutiny---before finally acted by the SP. Whoever wrote that “naughty article must be most ignorant,” according to a capitol legislator. CONSISTENT WITH REHAB MANDATE The province is bound to operationalize the PPMT, including its obligation for the administrative cost, as required in the tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) it signed with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and LGUs on BEA implementation. Under the MOA, the province thru the PPMT shall review the submitted documents and conduct field inspections to validate the claimed physical accomplishments, a task to be done so that a succeeding tranche from the BEA allocation is released. Thru the PPMT, the capitol is required to submit to the regional DILG the monthly reports of the LGUs which are then consolidated to evaluate how funds have been utilized. The PPMT has to conduct progress monitoring on sub-project sites to cover physical status and accomplishment, financial status (inclusive of utilization/disbursement rates), problems encountered and recommended solutions, and assessment of risks. The BEA fund has been allocated for over 1,100 LGU rehabilitation projects and none has been set aside for the administrative cost of the whole implementation process. The DILG itself has its own project management group. Damalerio noticed and corrected one smashingly wrong perception about the BEA administrative budget requirement: That the amount will be used to pay capitol workers involved in the PPMT. This cannot happen because they are already paid by the provincial government, Damalerio said. “CONCERN” FOR QUAKE VICTIMS Balite hated the P49.7 million trust fund to be the source of the P3.2 million administrative cost of the implementation of the P2.3 billion BEA because he loved it to be intact for rehabilitation, especially for the recovery of the quake victims. But he was also given a copy of the bulk of the breakdown of the trust fund for various rehabilitation works: construction of evacuation centers, P5 million; acquisition of relocation sites, to include purchase of lot for the new district hospital in Loon, P11.7 million; rehabilitation/improvement of waterworks system, P2 million; electrification, P2 million; core shelters, P20.9 million; repair of Pagsihagon bridge along Panggangan road in Calape, P1.2 million; installation of RCPC pipe with grouted riprap along Abatan, Agahay, Busao, Toril, Aghao road (formerly Agahay bridge), all in Maribojoc, P1 million; repair of road and bridge leading to Maribojoc hospital, P1.5 million; repair of Tajang road slip along Sandingan road in Loon, P700,000; and repair of Montevideo bridge, Carmen, P 400,000. While Balite obviously would have his supposed concern for the disaster victims justify his opposition to the administrative cost which is otherwise in support of the far bigger BEA rehabilitation works, a letter from a “concerned citizen,” presumably a student’s parent or guardian who must have been affected, too, by the disaster, has this to tell as hereunder quoted: (The letter, dated March 4, 2014 when Boholanos still suffered from earthquake impact, was addressed to the provincial lawmaker as owner of a school and furnished to the media, Deped and even the provincial government.) “Nagpakatakus ako sa pagsulat kanimo ug sa tibuok administrasyon sa BIT-IC kabahin sa yangongo ug sentimento sa mga ginikanan sa mga estudyante sa inyong tulunghaan nga nahimutang sa pipila ka lungsod diin ang BIT-IC administration nagmandar nga ang Graduation ceremonies sa inyong mga branches pagahimuon sa Tagbilaran City karong umaabut Marso 22, 2014 tungod lamang kay aduna kamoy giimbitar nga Guest Speaker nga dili makahimo sa pagbisita sa uban ninyo nga branches. “Kun mao lamang kana ang rason, makatarunganon ug praktikal ba alang sa mga ginikanan nga mogasto pa pamelete, sa kapuy-an ug uban pang galastohon kun ang Graduation sa ilang anak pagahimuon sa Tagbilaran? “Inyo bang nakita ug nabati ang kalisud ug ang hassle nga mahatag sa mga ginikanan kun kini mahinayon? “Isip usa ka sa mga Board Members sa lalawigan sa Bohol, imo bang nakita ang kalisud sa katawhan karun sa atong lalawigan? “Gawas pa niana, makatarunganon ba nga ang BIT-IC Administration momandar lamang nga walay pagkunsulta sa mga ginikanan sa mga mogradwar? “Walay ginikanan sa mga mogradwar sa inyong tulunghaan nga nagpakatakus sa pagreklamo kabahin niini tungod sa pagpanagana ug kahadlok nga mamahimo kining rason nga pangitaan og bikil nga ang ilang anak dili makagradwar. “Mao nga human makapaminaw sa ilang yangongo ug sentimento, dili mahimo nga ako magpakahilom lamang ug walay himuon ning maong plano sa administrasyon sa BIT-IC. “Hinaut unta nga kining maong sulat kahatagan ug pagtagad sa BIT-IC Administration.” A statement from the lawmaker-educator or school management is awaited and welcomed. The SP has three other members who are also educators, namely, Board Members Godofreda Tirol of the University of Bohol, Elpidio Jala who is a former DepEd-Bohol superintendent, and Tomas Abapo, Jr. who is the dean of the College of Law of the Holy Name University. (Ven rebo Arigo)
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 02:13:52 +0000
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