The Foundations reply as assisted by Counsel, Atty. Rene Rondez. Thank you. Little information is dangerous. BAGUIO FLOWER FESTIVAL FOUNDATION INC. RESPONSE TO PRIVILEGE SPEECH GIVEN BY HON. LEANDRO B. YANGOT JR. DURING THE MAY 21, 2014 REGULAR SESSION OF THE BAGUIO CITY COUNCIL The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) is a multi-sectoral entity that is representative of the community that is Baguio. BFFFI officers and members are Baguio residents who are leaders in their respective sectors and can be expected to put a premium on personal integrity. The current trustees are City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, Congressman Nicasio Aliping , Engr. Bernardo Vergara, Anthony De Leon, Frederico Alquiros, Atty. Damaso Bangaoet Jr., Rev. Fr. Jessie Hechanova, Maj. Gen. Oscar P. Lopez, AFP, Ramon Cabrera, Narda Capuyan, Dr. Julie Cabato, Dr. Francis Cesar Bringas, Councilor Michael L. Lawana, Arch. Jodie Alabanza, and Amy L. Gonzales. As a collective entity, we render service with no personal agenda. Consequently, we take strong exception to the allegations of Councilor Yangot and consider his actions as an affront to our personal integrity. Before responding specifically to the issues raised, we ask that Councilor Yangot revisit City Council Resolution No. 294, Series of 2005 returning the lead role in the preparations for the 2006 Baguio Flower Festival and subsequent holdings thereof to BFFFI. The Resolution contains 2 important facts. First, it recognizes that BFFFI, together with JPDC then, has been able to successfully manage, supervise and control the festival. Second, it recognizes that a return of the lead role to the BFFFI is necessary as there is a need to avoid any suspicion that the officials of the City of Baguio have or may be involved in some form of corruption. BFFFI remains true to its mandate by doing all it can to ensure a successful holding of the festival. This includes shielding our public officials from the persisting negative perception that arose from the conduct of the 2005 festival. This is achieved through the exercise of transparency in our dealings. Can Councilor Yangot address this perception in the same manner? The Panabenga belongs to the people of Baguio City. To imply that it belongs to the BFFFI is misplaced. The festival will always be owned by the people of Baguio City. It never was owned by anyone else. This is the principal reason why the City Government contributes the sum of PHP 4,000,000.00 to be utilized as prizes for the various festival competitions and makes available city resources. The conduct of the festival is a City Government obligation. BFFFI knows and understands this. We believe that the people of the City of Baguio understand that the Panagbenga is their festival and that hosting it involves some sacrifice on their part. We further believe that they understand that the success of the festival is principally measured by the number of people who attend it. In the final analysis, the necessary sacrifice pale in comparison to the prestige and economic benefits generated. This is true of all successful festivals or like activities. Councilor Yangot seems to be implying that there is a way to successfully run a festival without substantial attendance and adjustment? This contradicts reality. The landscaping competition for barangays and schools. The landscaping competition was transformed into a year-long activity under the Clean and Green Program. No less than the City Mayor espoused this transformation as he was of the belief that the beautification of a barangay should not be confined to the duration of the festival. In fact, the program has been given more significance as part of the annual Baguio Day celebrations. This was not a decision initiated by or participated in by BFFFI. A recollection by Councilor Yangot of his schedule on March 2, 2014 should readily reveal that there was a school based landscaping competition. If he may recall, the winners were: 1st Prize Baguio City National High School-Main, 2nd Prize Baguio City National High School- Fort Del Pilar Annex, and 3rd Prize Pines City National High School. He should because he was called up to the stage during the awarding of prizes. The Market Encounter and Session Road in Bloom The Panagbenga is a festival with various essential components. The Market Encounter and Session Road in Bloom cannot be said to be more important than the Float Parade and Street Dancing Competition. These two events carry the festival more than the Market Encounter and Session Road in Bloom. In the words of Councilor Yangot, in his eyes it appears that the Market Encounter and Session Road in Bloom were the main attractions of the festival. That could be an expected perception from one motivated by profit. The point is a festival is supposed to be designed to cater to the interest of the attendees. There must be a wide range of activities to meet their expectations. The opportunity to showcase culture, arts and crafts is always a BFFFI priority in determining who can participate. Records will indicate that the percentage of booths devoted to culture, arts or crafts is as follows: (a) Session Road in Bloom main booths- 48.59% out of the available 92.45% after deducting 7.55% of the stalls utilized by BFFFI for organizational and administrative purposes (b) Session Road in Bloom sidewalk booths- 14.52% out of the remaining 41.94% after deducting the 58.06% non-revenue booths utilized by local artist groups, local associations (i.e. Baguio Vermi Growers, Persons with Disabilities, PMA, Rotary Clubs, Women’s Groups), and PNP/Medical Stations (c) Market Encounter middle booths- 56% as 44% were non-revenue booths utilized for subsidized local landscapers, local associations (i.e. Liga ng Barangay Livelihood, Baguio Women’s League, Kalipi, SPCEL Association, Igorot Singers Association, Asin Women’s Group, Baguio Sidewalk Vendors), PNP/Medical Stations, and BFFFI Secretariat, and (d) Market Encounter lakeside booths- 33.87%. This also indicates that the assumptions of Councilor Yangot as to the supposed revenues based on the number of rentable booths is way off mark. With the established factual basis, the alleged lack of community participation is hard to comprehend. With the participation of schools, institutions, associations, local business and the city government coupled with the patronage of local residents, the entire community is present in all the festival activities. We assure the public that BFFFI will always prioritize local merchants as they are the ones who will benefit the most from the exposure. The policy is that they are invited first before others. This policy will remain as long as BFFFI continues to be involved in organizing and running the festival. The priority given local merchants is also accorded local artists in providing for festival entertainment. The only time BFFFI defers to choice of artist or entertainer is when they are determined by a major sponsor. There was no unauthorized use or closure of areas. We recognize that the authority over roads belongs to the City Council. This is the reason for the letter request dated January 7, 2014. Resolution No. 012, Series of 2014 clearly allows the use of all venues and affected portions of public places for Panagbenga 2014. Calderon Street, Malcolm Square and Perfecto Street were allowed to be utilized during the previous years. Their use for this year did not deviate from the past use. The allegation as to the supposed usurpation by BFFFI of the power of the city to grant permits for the conduct of business is absolutely false. The participation of BFFFI in obtaining a permit to conduct business is to simply facilitate the process. It assists the participant in the filing of the registration forms and payment of the: (a) special percentage tax and withholding tax assessed by the BIR, (b)Mayor’s Permit, and (c) payment of the sewerage and garbage collection fees. Records will also indicate that for these assessments, PHP 258,305.00 was paid to the BIR and PHP 1,043,758.70 was paid to the City Treasurer for the Market Encounter and Session Road in Bloom activities for this year. Further, both the BIR and the City Treasurer maintained a presence to be able to validate and assess taxes, fees and charges. The Panagbenga logo is a protected trade and collective mark. It is utilized for the purpose of authenticating an activity or participant as being part of the official events of the festival. It also serves to prevent an entity or person from utilizing the goodwill generated by the festival for dubious objectives. The matter of the electricity charges should be a non-issue. All participants are required to make a list of their equipment that will utilize electricity. The purpose of the list is to be able estimate the usage based on a BENECO provided formula. This formula also takes into consideration the expense that is incurred in providing the connections to the booths, installing transformers and circuit breakers, and making available electrical engineering services 24/7. Had Councilor Yangot bothered to verify, BENECO had been paid in full as of April 23, 2014. In his privilege speech on May 21, 2014, he categorically stated that “to date” BENECO has not been paid. The BFFFI’s accounting period follows the fiscal year covering July to June and not the calendar year. As the BFFFI fiscal year ends in June 30, we stand committed to submit an audited financial report of activities by August 31, 2014. As it has been done in the past, the City Council will be furnished with these reports through the Office of the Vice Mayor. This we do out of a commitment to transparency. We believe that we have adequately addressed the misleading or factually deficient statements of Councilor Yangot in his privilege speech. The motivation behind it remains to be seen. Whatever it is though, the circumstances demand that he exercise restraint in making further statements that unnecessarily put the BFFFI in a bad light and that he desist from further use of gutter language by implying trickery and thievery under protection of perceived legislative immunity. Baguio City, this 5th day of June, 2014.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 00:33:37 +0000
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