I would have loved to see some romblonpost.com bloggers, or sanrokan.com columnists, or some progressive liberals, or one or two Romblon Sun writers, or a few outstanding Romblon State University academics, or some leading retired government officials with impeccable records of public service, beat the December 1, 2009 deadline and filed certificates of candidacies (CoCs) for the various elective posts in the province for the May 10, 2010 election.
I would have loved to see on the ballot a few names: Manny David, Lyndon Molino, Orville Gabuna, Gilbert Miñano, Robert Muros, Dr. Tato Sison, Monching Reandelar, Marilyn Rios, and Atty. Beling Tomas. Their candidacies could lend heft and substance to an otherwise narrow, lightweight field.
I miss Manong Jules Fortuna. Had he not succumbed to early death, he would have been a congressional candidate and raised the bar a little bit higher for an issue-laden campaign.
As it is, the crop of candidates slugging it out for the election, except for a few personalities, is characteristically boring, shallow, and does not invite interest. In short, the crop does not inspire hope. It provokes dismay.
Many of the candidates that we will see knocking on our doors when the campaign begins on March 26 have been tested and found wanting.
Consider the wily Budoy Madrona. Or the ignorant Jojo Beltran, or the joker Sam Romero, or the thug Rolindo Perez, and you will understand this observation. Consider the repeaters, or re-electionists, in some municipalities and you will know what I mean.
I mean, why do we see the same characters, the same storylines, the same boring plot, and most likely, the same conclusion in what should be an exciting election drama in 2010? Why do we see the same dogs that would bark each other out for the flesh-less bone now called Romblon sporting spanking new collars?
With these names on the ballot, it would seem Romblon is running out of leaders.
Let’s take a closer look at the protagonists who would do battle.
My prediction that Lolong Firmalo and Jojo Beltran will run after each other’s throats in the post of governor has so far been accurate. This fight will be interesting because it would be a battle between good and evil, right and wrong, saint and sinner, sincere and pa-wardi-wardi.
Well, Lolong is not entirely lily-white. Some friends have told me he must be selective with those he associates with. He is so trusting and often ends up being sold down the river. I so believe.
But whatever. Lolong versus Jojo would be a clash, with vote-rich Odiongan as battleground, between a true-blue Asi Odionganon and a pretender-claimant that he is an Asi Odionganon. And with this as the frame of the debate, I repeat my prediction—so far materially uncontested and even with a few bloggers saying I might be correct, that Lolong will emerge victorious against Jojo. Now place your bet.
On the post for vice governor, the mild-mannered Mel Madrid will face the much-maligned Rolindo Perez, a former district engineer who seemed to have been born with controversy as twin. Perez’s image is that of a man nak indi masilakan dahil ging papadungan it pulis. He is so averse to sunshine prompting one to comment that he is Romblon’s Imelda Marcos.
I don’t know Manong Mel’s record, but he seems harmless compared to Perez, whose notoriety as Budoy Madrona’s acolyte, patron, and friend is well-known that if only Madrona had his way, he would have fielded Perez as his governor opposite Beltran. Know that pitting allies against each other is Budoy’s forte, so this would have been tenable. As it turned out, Budoy nipped in the bud the ambition of Gil Moreno for vice governor and installed Perez instead. Moreno can wait. For nothing, like what Sam Romero had done.
The battle for representative is what Romblomanons are drooling over. The vice governor, Alice Fetalvero, a true lady with a history of winning uphill battles, has thrown her scarf into the ring and will hack it out with Budoy. Oh, boy.
Fetalvero has a successful electoral history. She had completed three terms as mayor of Calatrava, was elected member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and in 2007 disposed of her opponents for vice governor in surgical fashion, getting close to 50,000 votes, more than the 43,000 votes that Gov. Beltran got. This woman has vote-getting power.
Fetalvero’s handicap is her lack of financial resources, which she admits, but if she plays her cards right, she could end up as Romblon’s Grace Padaca, who trounced up the powerful Dy clan in Isabela.
Budoy’s record, on the other hand, is spotty, although also nothing to sneeze at.
He completed three-terms as congressman; a term as governor; got ambushed by Firmalo when he attempted a comeback in 2004, but a return bout in 2007 had him turning the tables against his ambusher.
Budoy Madrona’s strength lies on his political machinery which straddles both sides of the fence. Can you imagine he can run two candidates for one post and still emerge unscathed? Budoy is an issue candidate. He issues political largesse by the ton. All for himself.
The question now is: Can Alice Fetalvero slay a giant? The betting is on.
But before you do, I would advise you to consider some imponderables. One such imponderable is that Budoy is carrying two heavy albatrosses in the May 2010 election, courtesy of Jojo Beltran and Rolindo Perez. I need not elaborate. Smaller ones also hobble the incumbent, namely, candidates such as Sam Romero and Geminiano Galicia who have checkered histories.
Of course, the greatest imponderable would be the performance records of the warring parties. If the Romblomanon voters are wise—and this is the line of most of the current crop of politicians, that ‘maayoy ngasing ka mga botante, ing babaton yangey ka kuwarta, pero ka ina-boto’y iba’ , then, we would have an exciting race.
I would love to hear the issues in the campaign trail. I would hate personal attacks, for these do not educate the voters, neither they move the provincial GNP.
If I were running any of the campaigns, I would require my candidates to stay on the offensive and stick to the issues, explaining what matters to the voters, not what matters to the candidates. I would require them to re-invent themselves with crisp and to-the-gut messages, and ask them what they would do once in office and to put these in writing to be used as campaign paraphernalia.
Alas, but that is not to be seen, as experience and history would show. It is not in the political DNA of many Romblon politicians to study and articulate the issues. Our elections are about fiesta, drunkenness, and patronage. It is about songs and dances; about who has the most colorful yard signs and tarpaulins; about who promises a most fantastic future; about who lulls the voters deepest to slumber. In fact, our elections are about describing to the voters what heaven looks like, but forgetting that they live daily on the coal fires of hell called poverty in the face of plenty and excess.
So we know some of the characters, the storylines, the plot, and most likely the outcome of the theater called May 10, 2010. The drama, or action, is more of the same. We have seen it before. Been there, done that. Many of us will still watch the spectacle out of curiosity, but not out of necessity.
As for this writer, I am not buying a ticket to the rehashed show. I have enough of our politicians’ ululation, slapstick comedy, and the tripping of each other to get to the spoils. Sure, I’ll be around, but I’ll be watching from afar, using a pair of binoculars that allows me to see things in clearer perspective.
In short, I will keep my sanity.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
While many Romblomanons were hungry sleeping, Beltran and his ilk were shopping—and reimbursing
Romblon is a land of contrasts: of the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’; of the powerful and powerless. It is a province of plenty, but where the majority of the people are clueless as to why they are destitute; while their leaders are heartless in their day-and-night spending orgy.
If you have been following the Romblon Sun, I have detailed in four weekly installments during the past month why this is so.
According to official data, of Romblon’s total 53,720 households (pop. 279,774, Aug. 1, 2007), 41.9 percent, or 22,562 families are poor, living below the poverty threshold.
The National Statistical Coordination Board, or NCSB, says that as of 2007, this threshold was pegged at P6,195.00 per month, or P204.00 per day, meaning each family with an average number of five members should have this amount in combined income to be able to survive.
I did not conjure up these numbers. They are the government’s, to which Rep. Budoy Madrona, Gov. Jojo Beltran, and their ilk belong and are functionaries of. I think now they are ignorant of these numbers. Or they knew, but simply didn’t care.
For here comes the audit report of the COA saying that in 2008, the provincial government, led by the inept Beltran, engaged in shopping and reimbursing the money they used to shop with.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen! Beltran and his ilk ‘shopped’ and ‘reimbursed’ in 2008 while the rest of us were figuring out how to earn the P204.00 daily to be able to buy food, send our children to school, pay our electric and water bills, and purchase medicines for our various ailments.
You don’t believe it? Fine, but here’s a quote from the 2008 COA Annual Audit Report’s Findings and Recommendations:
“. . . 14. Procurement of goods made by the Provincial Government during the year were not again covered by an Annual Procurement Plan (APP) as required under Section 7 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act, thus procured items may not be the actual needs of the agency and results (sic) in uneconomical operations.”
Because of this finding, the COA “reiterated (sic) strongly . . . our previous year’s recommendation that the Local Chief Executive abides (sic) with the provisions of Section 7 of the IRR of RA 9184 and Section 373 of RA 7160 on the preparation of the APP as a basis in the budget preparation. He must also require all heads of offices to submit procurement plans f their supply requirements for the ensuing year to be incorporated in the APP prepared by the General Services Office (GSO).”
“15. Various procurement of goods totalling P12,374,782.51 and P4,266,551.38 were made thru shopping and thru reimbursement (emphasis mine), respectively, instead of thru competitive bidding, in violation of Rule IV, Section 10 of the IRR of the Government Procurement reform Act or Republic Act 9184 . . .”
This practice, according to the COA may not have been most advantageous to the Provincial Government in terms of pricing. It also “cast doubts on the regularity and economy of such procurements”, it added.
Well, who can disagree? The government has set rules for the purchase of even the most basic items that it needs, such as thumb tacks or paper clips. All that the COA said was that these set rules were ignored by the capitol.
For its recommendation, the COA asked the Bids and Awards Committee to “explain and justify the reason/s for its recommendation to award the procurement of goods to listed suppliers through shopping instead of through public bidding.” It also castigated Beltran by saying that as local chief executive, he should have resorted to public bidding as the primary mode of procurement.
Of course, Beltran et al can’t do that. Mawawagit ka inra raket.
To buttress its findings, the COA listed as Annexes ‘O’ and ‘P’ a list of procurement of goods made through shopping and a schedule of procurement made through reimbursement, respectively.
The annexes are interesting for they supply the details.
In Annex ‘O’, the items purchased ranged from typewriters to office and medical supplies to unspecified office equipment and construction materials. The costs varied, but there were only 19 suppliers.
The biggest item was an ‘office equipment’ worth P299,800.00, purchased—‘shopped’ if you will—from Etcetera.Com School and Office Supply on March 3, 2008 with check no. 254607. The smallest item was a typewriter, purchased on April 17, 2008 for P16,850 apiece, or a total of P50,550.00 for three pieces. Two more ‘carina’ typewriters, purchased a month later, were dearer. They cost P24,530.00 each, or a total of P49,060.00
The capitol also purchased two motorcycles from Romblon Hardware & General Merchandise, both on June 20, 2008. One of the motorcycles cost P249,600.00 while the other one cost P166,400.00. A chainsaw, purchased on January 17, 2008, cost the provincial coffers P157,800; a rolling track bin fetched P107,000.00; an Arrowroot flour machine, P169,800.00.
The capitol also bought through shopping five airconditioners at a whopping P42,000 apiece. It must be very cold now in the kapitolyo because of the very expensive airconditioners.
Work at the capitol really must be hard, too, and our officials and employees really must be working harder, for the records tell us that in 2008, the capitol paid two suppliers, GSP Canteen & Catering Services and Sato Dizen, a total of P409,900 in catering services. Is this only for food, or it included the bill for toothpick? Just asking.
As to procurement through reimbursement, Gov. Beltran accounted for the bulk in 2008. Of the total of P4,266,551.38, he reimbursed P2,391,315.60.
He has not only assumed the role of governor, but of purchasing officer as well, himself taking time out from the capitol to buy spare parts worth P610,018.59; office supplies worth P569,086.75; medical equipment worth P316,250.00; and tarpaulin for P339,000.00.
Not content, he whined and dined we-don’t-know-who, but we are sure they are not your ordinary Romblomanons. For food, he reimbursed PP376,960.26. He even bought livestock and had the amount of P180,000.00 reimbursed. Whew!
Other Beltran underlings who reimbursed purchases in 2008 are (dyaran . . . drum roll please) Oscar Vicente Ylagan, Anthony Rugas, Raylin C. Famatiga, Vicente Ferdinand Peñaflor, Emilio Beltran Jr., Jay M. Garcia, Antonio Mindoro, Estanislao Famatiga, Helen Arriola, Percival Ferrer, Estelina Oñas, Gerry Tansiongco, Evelyn Formilleza, Teodicto Martinet, Sarah Jane Bantang, and Leila Arboleda.
I guess that’s all, folks, for today. This lesson on “Government Purchasing: How to do it by Shopping and Reimbursement” will have a sequel. Be prepared for the written exam on May 10, 2010. Jojo and classmates, study your lessons well. You might be asked to recite.
Email me at balitsaw@gmail.com, or text me at 0917 623 8842. The first letter-writer or texter will be allowed reimbursement for your text or internet load. No audit. No questions asked.
If you have been following the Romblon Sun, I have detailed in four weekly installments during the past month why this is so.
According to official data, of Romblon’s total 53,720 households (pop. 279,774, Aug. 1, 2007), 41.9 percent, or 22,562 families are poor, living below the poverty threshold.
The National Statistical Coordination Board, or NCSB, says that as of 2007, this threshold was pegged at P6,195.00 per month, or P204.00 per day, meaning each family with an average number of five members should have this amount in combined income to be able to survive.
I did not conjure up these numbers. They are the government’s, to which Rep. Budoy Madrona, Gov. Jojo Beltran, and their ilk belong and are functionaries of. I think now they are ignorant of these numbers. Or they knew, but simply didn’t care.
For here comes the audit report of the COA saying that in 2008, the provincial government, led by the inept Beltran, engaged in shopping and reimbursing the money they used to shop with.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen! Beltran and his ilk ‘shopped’ and ‘reimbursed’ in 2008 while the rest of us were figuring out how to earn the P204.00 daily to be able to buy food, send our children to school, pay our electric and water bills, and purchase medicines for our various ailments.
You don’t believe it? Fine, but here’s a quote from the 2008 COA Annual Audit Report’s Findings and Recommendations:
“. . . 14. Procurement of goods made by the Provincial Government during the year were not again covered by an Annual Procurement Plan (APP) as required under Section 7 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act, thus procured items may not be the actual needs of the agency and results (sic) in uneconomical operations.”
Because of this finding, the COA “reiterated (sic) strongly . . . our previous year’s recommendation that the Local Chief Executive abides (sic) with the provisions of Section 7 of the IRR of RA 9184 and Section 373 of RA 7160 on the preparation of the APP as a basis in the budget preparation. He must also require all heads of offices to submit procurement plans f their supply requirements for the ensuing year to be incorporated in the APP prepared by the General Services Office (GSO).”
“15. Various procurement of goods totalling P12,374,782.51 and P4,266,551.38 were made thru shopping and thru reimbursement (emphasis mine), respectively, instead of thru competitive bidding, in violation of Rule IV, Section 10 of the IRR of the Government Procurement reform Act or Republic Act 9184 . . .”
This practice, according to the COA may not have been most advantageous to the Provincial Government in terms of pricing. It also “cast doubts on the regularity and economy of such procurements”, it added.
Well, who can disagree? The government has set rules for the purchase of even the most basic items that it needs, such as thumb tacks or paper clips. All that the COA said was that these set rules were ignored by the capitol.
For its recommendation, the COA asked the Bids and Awards Committee to “explain and justify the reason/s for its recommendation to award the procurement of goods to listed suppliers through shopping instead of through public bidding.” It also castigated Beltran by saying that as local chief executive, he should have resorted to public bidding as the primary mode of procurement.
Of course, Beltran et al can’t do that. Mawawagit ka inra raket.
To buttress its findings, the COA listed as Annexes ‘O’ and ‘P’ a list of procurement of goods made through shopping and a schedule of procurement made through reimbursement, respectively.
The annexes are interesting for they supply the details.
In Annex ‘O’, the items purchased ranged from typewriters to office and medical supplies to unspecified office equipment and construction materials. The costs varied, but there were only 19 suppliers.
The biggest item was an ‘office equipment’ worth P299,800.00, purchased—‘shopped’ if you will—from Etcetera.Com School and Office Supply on March 3, 2008 with check no. 254607. The smallest item was a typewriter, purchased on April 17, 2008 for P16,850 apiece, or a total of P50,550.00 for three pieces. Two more ‘carina’ typewriters, purchased a month later, were dearer. They cost P24,530.00 each, or a total of P49,060.00
The capitol also purchased two motorcycles from Romblon Hardware & General Merchandise, both on June 20, 2008. One of the motorcycles cost P249,600.00 while the other one cost P166,400.00. A chainsaw, purchased on January 17, 2008, cost the provincial coffers P157,800; a rolling track bin fetched P107,000.00; an Arrowroot flour machine, P169,800.00.
The capitol also bought through shopping five airconditioners at a whopping P42,000 apiece. It must be very cold now in the kapitolyo because of the very expensive airconditioners.
Work at the capitol really must be hard, too, and our officials and employees really must be working harder, for the records tell us that in 2008, the capitol paid two suppliers, GSP Canteen & Catering Services and Sato Dizen, a total of P409,900 in catering services. Is this only for food, or it included the bill for toothpick? Just asking.
As to procurement through reimbursement, Gov. Beltran accounted for the bulk in 2008. Of the total of P4,266,551.38, he reimbursed P2,391,315.60.
He has not only assumed the role of governor, but of purchasing officer as well, himself taking time out from the capitol to buy spare parts worth P610,018.59; office supplies worth P569,086.75; medical equipment worth P316,250.00; and tarpaulin for P339,000.00.
Not content, he whined and dined we-don’t-know-who, but we are sure they are not your ordinary Romblomanons. For food, he reimbursed PP376,960.26. He even bought livestock and had the amount of P180,000.00 reimbursed. Whew!
Other Beltran underlings who reimbursed purchases in 2008 are (dyaran . . . drum roll please) Oscar Vicente Ylagan, Anthony Rugas, Raylin C. Famatiga, Vicente Ferdinand Peñaflor, Emilio Beltran Jr., Jay M. Garcia, Antonio Mindoro, Estanislao Famatiga, Helen Arriola, Percival Ferrer, Estelina Oñas, Gerry Tansiongco, Evelyn Formilleza, Teodicto Martinet, Sarah Jane Bantang, and Leila Arboleda.
I guess that’s all, folks, for today. This lesson on “Government Purchasing: How to do it by Shopping and Reimbursement” will have a sequel. Be prepared for the written exam on May 10, 2010. Jojo and classmates, study your lessons well. You might be asked to recite.
Email me at balitsaw@gmail.com, or text me at 0917 623 8842. The first letter-writer or texter will be allowed reimbursement for your text or internet load. No audit. No questions asked.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
2008 COA report: P1.5M fiberglass patrol boat disappeared . . . from the books
As soon as my first piece on the 2008 COA annual audit report got posted in the online forum www.romblonpost.com , in http://bunsurancaravan.blogspot.com, in the website www.sanrokan.com, and in my Facebook account, readers’ reaction came in torrents, indicating huge interest in the contents of the report. Some were requesting for a copy, others egging me on to bare its contents all at once.
I hit a gold mine in the report, but I am not hoarding it, unlike some thieves in the corridors of power who, even while masquerading in public as generous souls, are already entertaining dark and sinister thoughts of keeping the find for themselves and themselves alone. Inggit at tulo laway lang kayo, they would say.
As I said, the report is so voluminous that I intend to parcel out its details in morsels. If you are ready, then I am.
The report, by the way, had found its way into four offices: a copy each went to the regional directors of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, and Department of Finance’s Bureau of Local Government Finance.
A fourth copy is now in the interstices of the office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, but I doubt if any member, say, like Gil Moreno, or Nelson Lim, or Pat Manalon, has seen, or read, or even understood the 200-page report. They must be very busy campaigning for re-election.
The audit report say that in 2008, the province of Romblon earned a total of P357,877, 264.25 and spent P322,887,494.83, out of the total appropriation of P381,626,760.42.
I quoted these figures because a backdrop is needed. You see, government agencies are allowed to spend people’s money only when there is an appropriation. In local government operations, an appropriation, or the authority to spend, is approved by the local Sanggunian.
In Romblon’s case, the authorized appropriation was P381.626 million, but for a while, look NOT at the total spending, but at the total earnings of P357.877 million, which is much less. What does this mean? This means that we are appropriating more than what we could earn. This, in most instances, leads to what you call deficit-spending. Sounds familiar?
The heart of the COA audit report was its findings. For Romblon, the COA noted several adverse discoveries in the financial transactions in 2008. I shall begin with the most significant. The parenthetical notations are my comments.
1. In 2008, Romblon submitted very late its monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial reports to State auditors contrary to regulations. This prevented the COA from perusing and preparing its audit reports on time.
(Anything new? Romblon, the capitol, is, as always, very late, or some of its officials and employees have arthritic hands like me that they can’t write reports.)
2. The COA could not determine the validity and correctness of the capitol’s collections and disbursements, or use, of the Special Education Fund because it did not submit any report, such as deposit slips, or payrolls. The amount involved was P4.180 million in collections and P2.740 million in expenses.
(Ibinakay it mga school bag para sa mga Estudyante nak di-pintura it uda it gobernador?)
3. The capitol did not reconcile, or delayed its reconciliation of, its financial records with bank records, so the COA could not ascertain the accuracy of the province’s bank balance of P63.542 million. The COA said bank and book balances have a difference of P10.082 million, while the Accounting and Treasury books have a difference of P306,019.43.
(Oops. Sorry, COA. If the capitol reconciles regularly its book and bank records and its Accounting and Treasury officials periodically do their reconciliation work, then, the governor will have very little room to play with the numbers. In accounting parlance, the usual justification when this ‘anomaly’ is discovered is to tell the auditors that the money is ‘in transit’. ‘In transit’ to where? To the bank or to the pockets?)
4. The province’s Plant, Property and Equipment, valued at P144.205 million and inventory items worth P14.373 million could not be ascertained if true or existing. The COA said the reason is because the capitol has not done any periodic inventory.
(True and existing, I would say . . . in the books and in the imagination, but not in the true sense of the word. This is a perennial COA observation. Last year, the COA asked the capitol to do an inventory, but it seems the property officer and the General Services Office, led by the inexhaustible Jojo Rugas, are still learning to do the math, while receiving fat bonuses and productivity incentives. That’s all they know to inventory, it seems.)
5. The fiberglass patrol boat donated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources valued at P1.5 million has disappeared—from the books. It has not been recorded. The official who received the record of the donation has not submitted the document to the Provincial Accountant.
(Where is the patrol boat? Naghahakot it banye-banyerang isra nak suhoy it illegal fishermen agor indi gi rakpon? Where is the invoice of the donation? Kinumos ag ipina-on sa pagpangisra? Usec Bernie, did you facilitate the donation? Just asking.)
6. The COA found out that the capitol charged to principal amortization its interest payment of P8.760 million, because there is no provision for interest payment in the provincial appropriation.
(Gov. Jojo B., time to change accountants? Calling on the majority members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Didn’t you know that Romblon has a huge loan with the Land Bank of the Philippines, courtesy of our dearly beloved congressman Budoy M, for which we are paying till death do us part? Why didn’t you appropriate an amount for interest thereof, so Gov. Jojo B’s accountant will not charge it to the principal amortization? I request SP Nelson Lim to answer this question. SP Nelson is recognized. SP Gil Moreno will second. Drum roll. Gavel bangs.)
Readers, more to come.
In the meantime, let me not forget to inform you that the above findings—whether omission, commission, violation, malfeasance, or, as they say, plain stupidity, were violations or contrary to existing rules, laws and regulations of the government, according to the COA.
In my book, they are also highly unethical, which is the highest form of transgression.
That our concerned officials and employees can so grossly and continually go against the law is, I will say it again, an indication of the quality of our leaders and public servants. It is also an indictment of our politics as a people, so anything wrong that our officials commit gets back to us in equal measure because it is us who voted them into office in the first place.
Now, excuse me while I go to the confessional. Text me at 0917 623 8842, or e-mail me later at balitsaw@gmail.com after I have washed my hands.
I hit a gold mine in the report, but I am not hoarding it, unlike some thieves in the corridors of power who, even while masquerading in public as generous souls, are already entertaining dark and sinister thoughts of keeping the find for themselves and themselves alone. Inggit at tulo laway lang kayo, they would say.
As I said, the report is so voluminous that I intend to parcel out its details in morsels. If you are ready, then I am.
The report, by the way, had found its way into four offices: a copy each went to the regional directors of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, and Department of Finance’s Bureau of Local Government Finance.
A fourth copy is now in the interstices of the office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, but I doubt if any member, say, like Gil Moreno, or Nelson Lim, or Pat Manalon, has seen, or read, or even understood the 200-page report. They must be very busy campaigning for re-election.
The audit report say that in 2008, the province of Romblon earned a total of P357,877, 264.25 and spent P322,887,494.83, out of the total appropriation of P381,626,760.42.
I quoted these figures because a backdrop is needed. You see, government agencies are allowed to spend people’s money only when there is an appropriation. In local government operations, an appropriation, or the authority to spend, is approved by the local Sanggunian.
In Romblon’s case, the authorized appropriation was P381.626 million, but for a while, look NOT at the total spending, but at the total earnings of P357.877 million, which is much less. What does this mean? This means that we are appropriating more than what we could earn. This, in most instances, leads to what you call deficit-spending. Sounds familiar?
The heart of the COA audit report was its findings. For Romblon, the COA noted several adverse discoveries in the financial transactions in 2008. I shall begin with the most significant. The parenthetical notations are my comments.
1. In 2008, Romblon submitted very late its monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial reports to State auditors contrary to regulations. This prevented the COA from perusing and preparing its audit reports on time.
(Anything new? Romblon, the capitol, is, as always, very late, or some of its officials and employees have arthritic hands like me that they can’t write reports.)
2. The COA could not determine the validity and correctness of the capitol’s collections and disbursements, or use, of the Special Education Fund because it did not submit any report, such as deposit slips, or payrolls. The amount involved was P4.180 million in collections and P2.740 million in expenses.
(Ibinakay it mga school bag para sa mga Estudyante nak di-pintura it uda it gobernador?)
3. The capitol did not reconcile, or delayed its reconciliation of, its financial records with bank records, so the COA could not ascertain the accuracy of the province’s bank balance of P63.542 million. The COA said bank and book balances have a difference of P10.082 million, while the Accounting and Treasury books have a difference of P306,019.43.
(Oops. Sorry, COA. If the capitol reconciles regularly its book and bank records and its Accounting and Treasury officials periodically do their reconciliation work, then, the governor will have very little room to play with the numbers. In accounting parlance, the usual justification when this ‘anomaly’ is discovered is to tell the auditors that the money is ‘in transit’. ‘In transit’ to where? To the bank or to the pockets?)
4. The province’s Plant, Property and Equipment, valued at P144.205 million and inventory items worth P14.373 million could not be ascertained if true or existing. The COA said the reason is because the capitol has not done any periodic inventory.
(True and existing, I would say . . . in the books and in the imagination, but not in the true sense of the word. This is a perennial COA observation. Last year, the COA asked the capitol to do an inventory, but it seems the property officer and the General Services Office, led by the inexhaustible Jojo Rugas, are still learning to do the math, while receiving fat bonuses and productivity incentives. That’s all they know to inventory, it seems.)
5. The fiberglass patrol boat donated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources valued at P1.5 million has disappeared—from the books. It has not been recorded. The official who received the record of the donation has not submitted the document to the Provincial Accountant.
(Where is the patrol boat? Naghahakot it banye-banyerang isra nak suhoy it illegal fishermen agor indi gi rakpon? Where is the invoice of the donation? Kinumos ag ipina-on sa pagpangisra? Usec Bernie, did you facilitate the donation? Just asking.)
6. The COA found out that the capitol charged to principal amortization its interest payment of P8.760 million, because there is no provision for interest payment in the provincial appropriation.
(Gov. Jojo B., time to change accountants? Calling on the majority members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Didn’t you know that Romblon has a huge loan with the Land Bank of the Philippines, courtesy of our dearly beloved congressman Budoy M, for which we are paying till death do us part? Why didn’t you appropriate an amount for interest thereof, so Gov. Jojo B’s accountant will not charge it to the principal amortization? I request SP Nelson Lim to answer this question. SP Nelson is recognized. SP Gil Moreno will second. Drum roll. Gavel bangs.)
Readers, more to come.
In the meantime, let me not forget to inform you that the above findings—whether omission, commission, violation, malfeasance, or, as they say, plain stupidity, were violations or contrary to existing rules, laws and regulations of the government, according to the COA.
In my book, they are also highly unethical, which is the highest form of transgression.
That our concerned officials and employees can so grossly and continually go against the law is, I will say it again, an indication of the quality of our leaders and public servants. It is also an indictment of our politics as a people, so anything wrong that our officials commit gets back to us in equal measure because it is us who voted them into office in the first place.
Now, excuse me while I go to the confessional. Text me at 0917 623 8842, or e-mail me later at balitsaw@gmail.com after I have washed my hands.
Monday, November 2, 2009
COA’s 2008 annual audit of Romblon bares more Beltran’s ‘sins’
In January this year, I wrote about the findings of the Commission on Audit about the financial irregularities in the capitol in 2007, very particularly about the un-liquidated cash advances of officials and employees which to this day have not been liquidated.
My aim then as now was to inform the public that while Beltran reigns as governor, no amount of “pa-cute” can hide the fact that he and some of his officials and employees are spending people’s money as if the Central Bank will close its printing presses tomorrow, and in the process putting at risk and compromising public interest. Kalolooy rabono ka Romblon.
Well, well. What have I got?
Three weeks ago, a reader, Vonn Fadri, circulated a copy of the COA’s 2008 annual audit report on Romblon. I deferred writing about it because I have been so busy. I promised Mr. Fadri, however, that I will devour the report, as soon as I have time.
I have now, so brace your selves for COA’s damning revelations on how Jojo “Sinturon Rayagan” Beltran, with the aid of his band of fawning officials and employees, went about raping Romblon’s treasury in 2008.
Before I proceed further, however, let me warn the reader that the COA audit report does not indict Gov. Beltran or the provincial government singly or collectively. It does not pronounce him guilty. That’s for the court to decide. It also does not compel him to abide with the law, the COA having no police or coercive power.
The audit report merely reports the facts on the province’s financial transactions in the past year and recommends—in fact, “requests”—corrective steps to set the transactions and records aright and according to the law.
The copy of the report I have on file is 200 pages long, in portable document format, or PDF, and with several annexes. It contains very detailed findings and sober recommendations.
Observers interested in politics and governance will find the report useful. In fact, those who in the 2010 elections would like to raise issues for or against any candidate must read the report, for it clearly instructs political leaders on good conduct and behavior once they are in public office. Alas, Gov. Beltran as the leader of Romblon, could be so hard-headed, or doesn’t read at all, or doesn’t understand what the COA is there for, that he has continually thumbed his nose on the report’s recommendations.
The length of the document prevents me from writing just one short column, so I will take the liberty of writing about it in installment. And since Wilig-wilig, Liong-liong appears just once every week, I reckon it would take me a month or two to comment on the report. I, therefore, hope that Romblon Sun readers will not tire out in reading my commentaries on the audit report.
The COA 2008 annual audit report was written by Concepcion N. Caldit, audit team leader. She was assisted by Geraldine Gutierrez and Rockfeller Merida, audit team members. Emmie Mendoza, supervising auditor, oversaw its preparation.
In a letter to Gov. Beltran on May 20, 2009, COA regional director Reynaldo Jamoralin said the audit was made “to ascertain the propriety of financial transactions, compliance with prescribed rules, and the economical, efficient, and effective utilization of resources.”
“It was also made to ascertain the accuracy of financial records and reports, as well as the fairness of presentation of financial statements,” Jamoralin, in his letter, added.
Just to tickle your imagination, the COA report lists down Rep. Budoy Madrona as one of those having cash advances which up to this day has not been liquidated. And just to be fair and square, opposition member of the SP Benjamin Irao, Jr. and Vice Governor Alice Fetalvero have also cash advances, but their advances pale in comparison with the financial accountabilities of Jojo Beltran and some of his pawns. Beltran, in fact, according to the report, had checks issued in his name several times in 2008. I admire this boy’s fast learning curve.
Here’s another tickler. The COA found out that the capitol paid its officials and employees P16,542,000.00 in so-called performance bonuses, extra cash gifts and rice allowances in 2008 in violation of Section 4(l) of PD 1445. The amount paid, the COA observed, exceeded the salary ceiling set under RA 6758.
The COA report contains many more adverse findings that “shocked and awed” me, to use George Bush’s strategy in Iraq. I will mention these findings one by one in my succeeding columns.
Based on the COA’s findings, the capitol dismally failed the tests based on three criteria—propriety, compliance, and economy. It also failed on the criterion of accuracy of financial records and fairness of presentation of financial statements. Because of this failure, the COA issued a qualified audit opinion for Romblon in 2008.
Being a non-accountant not familiar with the ways and workings of auditing, I can only follow what the COA said in the report. As a writer cum social investigator, however, I can smell anomalies miles away by reading printed texts and by poring over reports.
Thus, I will also issue an opinion, albeit unofficial: The audit report and its findings bare the inner demons of Beltran’s hypocrisy, greed, and corruption. It brings to light and for our self-examination and judgment not only Beltran’s “unfitness” for the post he now so immensely enjoys, but also our decision in 2007 to elect him to power.
Read the report and tell me I am wrong. Now, if you want a copy of the report, text me your e-mail address at 0917 623 8842. Forgive me, I don’t answer text messages. My fingers are arthritic. But I do respond to e-mails.
My aim then as now was to inform the public that while Beltran reigns as governor, no amount of “pa-cute” can hide the fact that he and some of his officials and employees are spending people’s money as if the Central Bank will close its printing presses tomorrow, and in the process putting at risk and compromising public interest. Kalolooy rabono ka Romblon.
Well, well. What have I got?
Three weeks ago, a reader, Vonn Fadri, circulated a copy of the COA’s 2008 annual audit report on Romblon. I deferred writing about it because I have been so busy. I promised Mr. Fadri, however, that I will devour the report, as soon as I have time.
I have now, so brace your selves for COA’s damning revelations on how Jojo “Sinturon Rayagan” Beltran, with the aid of his band of fawning officials and employees, went about raping Romblon’s treasury in 2008.
Before I proceed further, however, let me warn the reader that the COA audit report does not indict Gov. Beltran or the provincial government singly or collectively. It does not pronounce him guilty. That’s for the court to decide. It also does not compel him to abide with the law, the COA having no police or coercive power.
The audit report merely reports the facts on the province’s financial transactions in the past year and recommends—in fact, “requests”—corrective steps to set the transactions and records aright and according to the law.
The copy of the report I have on file is 200 pages long, in portable document format, or PDF, and with several annexes. It contains very detailed findings and sober recommendations.
Observers interested in politics and governance will find the report useful. In fact, those who in the 2010 elections would like to raise issues for or against any candidate must read the report, for it clearly instructs political leaders on good conduct and behavior once they are in public office. Alas, Gov. Beltran as the leader of Romblon, could be so hard-headed, or doesn’t read at all, or doesn’t understand what the COA is there for, that he has continually thumbed his nose on the report’s recommendations.
The length of the document prevents me from writing just one short column, so I will take the liberty of writing about it in installment. And since Wilig-wilig, Liong-liong appears just once every week, I reckon it would take me a month or two to comment on the report. I, therefore, hope that Romblon Sun readers will not tire out in reading my commentaries on the audit report.
The COA 2008 annual audit report was written by Concepcion N. Caldit, audit team leader. She was assisted by Geraldine Gutierrez and Rockfeller Merida, audit team members. Emmie Mendoza, supervising auditor, oversaw its preparation.
In a letter to Gov. Beltran on May 20, 2009, COA regional director Reynaldo Jamoralin said the audit was made “to ascertain the propriety of financial transactions, compliance with prescribed rules, and the economical, efficient, and effective utilization of resources.”
“It was also made to ascertain the accuracy of financial records and reports, as well as the fairness of presentation of financial statements,” Jamoralin, in his letter, added.
Just to tickle your imagination, the COA report lists down Rep. Budoy Madrona as one of those having cash advances which up to this day has not been liquidated. And just to be fair and square, opposition member of the SP Benjamin Irao, Jr. and Vice Governor Alice Fetalvero have also cash advances, but their advances pale in comparison with the financial accountabilities of Jojo Beltran and some of his pawns. Beltran, in fact, according to the report, had checks issued in his name several times in 2008. I admire this boy’s fast learning curve.
Here’s another tickler. The COA found out that the capitol paid its officials and employees P16,542,000.00 in so-called performance bonuses, extra cash gifts and rice allowances in 2008 in violation of Section 4(l) of PD 1445. The amount paid, the COA observed, exceeded the salary ceiling set under RA 6758.
The COA report contains many more adverse findings that “shocked and awed” me, to use George Bush’s strategy in Iraq. I will mention these findings one by one in my succeeding columns.
Based on the COA’s findings, the capitol dismally failed the tests based on three criteria—propriety, compliance, and economy. It also failed on the criterion of accuracy of financial records and fairness of presentation of financial statements. Because of this failure, the COA issued a qualified audit opinion for Romblon in 2008.
Being a non-accountant not familiar with the ways and workings of auditing, I can only follow what the COA said in the report. As a writer cum social investigator, however, I can smell anomalies miles away by reading printed texts and by poring over reports.
Thus, I will also issue an opinion, albeit unofficial: The audit report and its findings bare the inner demons of Beltran’s hypocrisy, greed, and corruption. It brings to light and for our self-examination and judgment not only Beltran’s “unfitness” for the post he now so immensely enjoys, but also our decision in 2007 to elect him to power.
Read the report and tell me I am wrong. Now, if you want a copy of the report, text me your e-mail address at 0917 623 8842. Forgive me, I don’t answer text messages. My fingers are arthritic. But I do respond to e-mails.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
After Ondoy: It's a relief to see the relief efforts
We, who are on dry land, have seen the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy on television, on the pages of the newspapers, and in the Internet. Therefore, there is no need to describe the tragedy here. We know and we commiserate.We also know the failure of the government in many respects—from the moment it failed to save lives that should otherwise have not been lost to its omission to act with dispatch immediately after the deluge simply on the pretext that it lacks resources.
Nature has its way of demonstrating man’s shortcomings. In this case, Ondoy showed how ineffectual the government is. It was caught in a non-act, with clothes off.
In the face of tragedy, however, blame should take a backseat. It should not even be allowed to peer through the mud now blanketing so many villages in the eastern part of Metro Manila.
The hour calls for unified action to relieve the victims of their misery. It is a relief to see this happening. The general feeling in the country’s capital, in the provinces, and even in many parts of the world is that something must be done.
And indeed, things are being done. Relief missions are aplenty. Donations are pouring in, people are helping one another, and soon things will start moving even slow at first, and then life for everyone would hopefully return to normal.
While it has not yet, let me share to you, dear readers, some stories of heroism involving Romblomanons.
You see, Ondoy, when it decided to dump water on its path, did not have time (and did not care!) to discriminate whether its victims were black or white or Tagalong or Visayan or Mindanaoan.
Unlike in the biblical story of the plague before the Flood where the Lord sent angels to put a mark on the doors of the Israelites’ houses so that they would not be consumed by fire and brimstone, Ondoy did not have messengers of salvation to do exactly that. All it had was rain, which it poured out in mighty torrents to inundate all houses on its path.
These, unfortunately, included the houses and livelihood and material possessions of Romblomanons in Pasig, Quezon City, Marikina, Cainta, and Laguna.
I haven’t read an account yet as to how many exactly were the Romblomanon families that suffered from Ondoy’s wrath. The provincial government is not around—it’s in Romblon—so no one has wrote a report, or made a tally.
All we have is the information that last week, when the weather was calmer, the Banton Biniray, Inc., or BBI, and the Banton High School Alumni Association, or BHSAA, have begun the ball rolling to come to the succor of Banto-anon families affected. The relief effort is known as Bantoanon para sa Bantoanon. The Bantoanons’ fund-raising efforts were also set into full gear, with BBI vice chair Cely Fonte and BBI president Darry Fabul at the forefront.Last Sunday, the twin organizations mounted a relief drive where it distributed P1,000 in cash to each family beneficiary, plus old clothes. Lyndon Fadri, who is the current BHSA president, said that families who waived the benefit were given a gift pack containing a BHSAA t-shirt and a Subatey CD. As I write this, I have information that 80 families were to benefit from the Biniray and BHSAA relief mission.
Meanwhile, the Internet has been abuzz with full-length discussions on how to help. The yagting@yahoogroups and the RDL-CLEAR discussion group have been throwing back and forth information and views on Ondoy’s aftermath. The focus of these discussions is how to help.
RDL-CLEAR, led by the indefatigable Nic Musico, has rolled out a fund-raising drive. Check donations to RDL-CLEAR can be made in the name of Dely F. Ferrera, 3N 209 Howard Avenue, Elmhurst, Il 60126. Donations to RDL-CLEAR are tax-deductible.
Another Romblon organization, the Children’s Livelihood Education Assistance and Relief Foundation, or CLEAR Foundation, has sent in six boxes of hand-me-down clothes, which arrived on September 28, I was informed.
According to its executive director, Delia Famatigan, the Foundation has also donated clothes and food to non-Romblomanon victims in the districts of Sto. Niño and Project 6 in Quezon City.
Sibalenhons have also thrown their lot to help alleviate Sibalenhons waylaid by Ondoy. Last Sunday, the Sibale Development Foundation, or Sibale Def, went to the calamity area to distribute clothes, food and grocery items.
Prospero Fabregas, former Sibale
Def president, and several officials, mounted the relief mission. They were joined by Romulo Señorin and Rose Fornal, Ragipon president and secretary, respectively, as well as by Sibale Academy Alumni Association secretary Ma. Theresa Felisilda, who sent in a few photos of the mission.All these relief efforts are not lost on Romblomanons who, while they are unable to pitch in at the moment maybe because they, too, find it difficult to make both ends meet, must be praying that a similar tragedy will not happen. I am sure they are also praying Ondoy’s victims will recover quickly soon.
On a personal level, I am looking at the situation with immense relief that citizens, particularly the Romblomanons who are in the frontlines of various relief missions, share the Samaritan spirit that has descended upon so many in the aftermath of the calamity.
Sadly, I can’t say the same of the provincial government which, as of this writing, has not been heard from. Perhaps, the top officials of Romblon are somewhere else, or they might be in the comfort of their war rooms making plans on how to win the next election, or worse, may be thinking that the Romblonanons hard hit by Ondoy are not registered voters?
Paging Congressman Budoy Madrona and Governor Jojo Beltran. Have hearts and do something quick.
The sorrows of Bernie Fondevilla
I am not a mind reader, but I can guess from the body language and facial expression of Department of Agriculture undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla that he relishes—or will relish—his decision not to run for congressman in the May 2010 election.
The occasion was a meeting at Discovery Suites over a month ago, convened, purportedly at his behest, to make known his long awaited decision about his political plans in Romblon.
The story goes like this: Two weeks before several ‘discoveries’ at Discovery Suites, Dr. Tato Sison hosted a meeting of opposition politicians at his farm resort in Pililla to sort out the political woes of Dr. Lolong Firmalo. I was invited to the meeting, but I don’t know in what capacity for I am neither a politician nor an oppositionist. I am a critic.
The problem discussed at that meeting was who will run for congressman opposite the incumbent, Budoy Madrona.
This problem would not have cropped up had Bernie not made a feeler in the aftermath of the Firmalo debacle in the hands of Madrona in 2007.
The rumors—yes, rumors—that circulated then were that Bernie will cast his political net and run for congressman in 2010. The rumor further indicated that if he will not run, Lolong will take his place and the incumbent vice governor, Alice Fetalvero, will move up the political ladder.
Having believed in that ‘rumor’, Firmalo (Lolong is so unsuspecting a politician and reposes his faith in the inherent goodness of men!) set his eyes to run for governor, and accordingly acted towards getting the post occupied by the boy Jojo Beltran who, after almost three years in the capitol, has shown to have a long learning curve and turned out to be a great dishonor to the office.
2007 then being three years away from 2010, Romblomanon voters did not seriously (or did they?) pay attention to this Fondevilla political comedy act, but no matter. He went around the province, using as vehicle his position as undersecretary and distributed goodies to Romblomanons who rightly did not ask where or how these goodies were obtained.
These were, of course, funded by taxpayer money, but Bernie’s signature authorship was written all over them. He delivered, and to the naïve, that was enough. Suddenly, Bernie was a viable politician. Everyone, except me, believed he will fight Budoy.
Sibale, heretofore not minded by politicians either from the mainland or Manila merely because it has only 2,000 votes, suddenly got Bernie’s attention. It received five HP Robin engines which benefited 45 fishermen. Thank you, Bernie, but a lot more Robin engines are needed to save majority of Romblon’s 260,000 plus population from drowning in poverty. Tulina, pana-o pa.
Oh, but I digress.
In that Pililla meeting which I have wrote about previously, the question posed by Tato’s guests was, “Will Bernie run?”
Because Bernie wasn’t around and the guests obviously could not answer the question, they being not Bernie’s spokespersons or confidantes, I suggested that Bernie be given a deadline of one week: Decide or else. I was thinking that if Bernie is serious, he will see the logic of the ultimatum and will know the price of inaction and dilly-dallying. He faced the prospect of being relegated to the sidelines of the 2010 drama.
The group agreed and left it to Dr. Sison and Gilbert Miniano to seek out the undersecretary and ask him the question point-blank.
I was correct in my supposition, for in one week Dr. Tato and Gilbert reported to the group that Bernie, finally after almost three years, has come to a decision. The answer, according to the two, was something like, ‘No, I will not run, because I might be appointed secretary of the department of agriculture.’ Hah!
They also reported that Bernie was hosting the group to a meeting so he can personally break to them his decision. The meeting was set on a Saturday in a restaurant at the Discovery Suites.
I had many ‘discoveries’ in that enclave of the rich and famous.
One was that Bernie is a very serious person that he refused to look at us—Arlene Servanez, Gilbert, Mel Madrid, Alice, Lolong, Tato, and myself –directly in our eyes because he was busy fumbling his mobile phones during the meeting. It was an impolitic behavior unexpected of a high official of government and aspiring politician.
Another ‘discovery’ was that he was not serious in hosting the meeting because there was no reservation made on his behalf. When we arrived at the appointed time, we were like interlopers in the place so that Lolong and I retreated to a room in a corner with our coffee cups and smoked ourselves to death.
I knew what the rest did: they restlessly talked in whispers, glancing regularly in their wristwatches, waiting for Bernie to materialize. The undersecretary, who might be using a timepiece set in Singapore time, arrived so late and without a bit of air of worry that like him we also live under a 24-hour-a-day schedule. I later quipped to Gilbert that he should be called ‘the late Bernie Fondevilla’.
Indeed, in that meeting he said he will not run because of his ‘impending’ appointment vice Sec. Arthur Yap, who is rumored to run for the Senate. Good luck, secretary-to-be Bernie.
Well, this is precisely my beef. I said to myself that if he really had decided not to pursue his dream, why decide so late in the day that he left his allies to twist in the wind and suffer the agony of waiting?
I also ‘discovered’ he didn’t like to share his knowledge with anyone, for when the discussion dealt on the need for the opposition to have a platform of governance and I asked him what his platform would be if he is the candidate, he said: “I have a platform, but that is mine. What’s yours?” Ha? Nio kuno?
This arrogance of an aspiring cabinet official was not lost on the group. Later, when we re-grouped to have cakes at the Starbucks on the Podium opposite the Discovery Suites (there was no food in the restaurant where we met, or there was, but I terribly lost appetite!), Bernie’s behavior was hot topic.
Being a writer, I have dealt with and encountered men of various persuasions and ideologies, likes and dislikes, motives and dreams, temperament and inspirations, but I cannot forget Bernie in that meeting because his behavior defied description.
He was sorrowful and pathetic. If he becomes a politician, he will discover, as I ‘discovered’ him, that voters like their leaders to be a little bit humble, not humbug; approachable, not aloof and arrogant.
Well, this episode about Bernie Fondevilla was not without a bright note. He pledged support to vice governor Alice and Dr. Lolong in their candidacies, although he did not categorically say in what form or capacity. So the pledge doesn’t mean anything—yet.
And what could be that support? Money? Votes? Can Bernie, as secretary of agriculture, influence a large chunk of Romblon voters to go for Alice and Lolong? Maybe. I hope so.
For example, when Lolong said he already has a mayor-candidate in Simara, Bernie was quick to promise to ‘deliver’ Simara to him. ‘Don’t worry about Simara. I’ll take care of it. I’ll deliver it to you,” he said.
When I heard this, my jaw dropped. Ha? I believe Bernie can be a politician, but I didn’t believe he can be this traditional. If I were a Simaranhon in that table, I would have been insulted, for who is Bernie Fondevilla to say that he can decide who the Simaranhons can vote for?
Indeed, when I sounded out this quip to a friend in Simara, she was aghast and said Bernie might eat his words.
Well, this is the sorrow of most traditional politicians, including Bernie Fondevilla. Because of their naked ambition for political power, they will say anything, even the inane, under the sun to endear themselves to the electorate. This, in fact, is not a warning. The elections are coming, so Romblon voters could expect many more ululations from politicians in the mold of Bernie Fondevilla.
He has another sorrow to bear and this is the fact that he unduly raised false hopes among Romblomanons, in the process setting back a great deal whatever plans the opposition might have of putting itself in the center of political power in the province.
Bernie, ask Barangay Captain Jun Bernardo about this, and you will know what I mean.
The occasion was a meeting at Discovery Suites over a month ago, convened, purportedly at his behest, to make known his long awaited decision about his political plans in Romblon.
The story goes like this: Two weeks before several ‘discoveries’ at Discovery Suites, Dr. Tato Sison hosted a meeting of opposition politicians at his farm resort in Pililla to sort out the political woes of Dr. Lolong Firmalo. I was invited to the meeting, but I don’t know in what capacity for I am neither a politician nor an oppositionist. I am a critic.
The problem discussed at that meeting was who will run for congressman opposite the incumbent, Budoy Madrona.
This problem would not have cropped up had Bernie not made a feeler in the aftermath of the Firmalo debacle in the hands of Madrona in 2007.
The rumors—yes, rumors—that circulated then were that Bernie will cast his political net and run for congressman in 2010. The rumor further indicated that if he will not run, Lolong will take his place and the incumbent vice governor, Alice Fetalvero, will move up the political ladder.
Having believed in that ‘rumor’, Firmalo (Lolong is so unsuspecting a politician and reposes his faith in the inherent goodness of men!) set his eyes to run for governor, and accordingly acted towards getting the post occupied by the boy Jojo Beltran who, after almost three years in the capitol, has shown to have a long learning curve and turned out to be a great dishonor to the office.
2007 then being three years away from 2010, Romblomanon voters did not seriously (or did they?) pay attention to this Fondevilla political comedy act, but no matter. He went around the province, using as vehicle his position as undersecretary and distributed goodies to Romblomanons who rightly did not ask where or how these goodies were obtained.
These were, of course, funded by taxpayer money, but Bernie’s signature authorship was written all over them. He delivered, and to the naïve, that was enough. Suddenly, Bernie was a viable politician. Everyone, except me, believed he will fight Budoy.
Sibale, heretofore not minded by politicians either from the mainland or Manila merely because it has only 2,000 votes, suddenly got Bernie’s attention. It received five HP Robin engines which benefited 45 fishermen. Thank you, Bernie, but a lot more Robin engines are needed to save majority of Romblon’s 260,000 plus population from drowning in poverty. Tulina, pana-o pa.
Oh, but I digress.
In that Pililla meeting which I have wrote about previously, the question posed by Tato’s guests was, “Will Bernie run?”
Because Bernie wasn’t around and the guests obviously could not answer the question, they being not Bernie’s spokespersons or confidantes, I suggested that Bernie be given a deadline of one week: Decide or else. I was thinking that if Bernie is serious, he will see the logic of the ultimatum and will know the price of inaction and dilly-dallying. He faced the prospect of being relegated to the sidelines of the 2010 drama.
The group agreed and left it to Dr. Sison and Gilbert Miniano to seek out the undersecretary and ask him the question point-blank.
I was correct in my supposition, for in one week Dr. Tato and Gilbert reported to the group that Bernie, finally after almost three years, has come to a decision. The answer, according to the two, was something like, ‘No, I will not run, because I might be appointed secretary of the department of agriculture.’ Hah!
They also reported that Bernie was hosting the group to a meeting so he can personally break to them his decision. The meeting was set on a Saturday in a restaurant at the Discovery Suites.
I had many ‘discoveries’ in that enclave of the rich and famous.
One was that Bernie is a very serious person that he refused to look at us—Arlene Servanez, Gilbert, Mel Madrid, Alice, Lolong, Tato, and myself –directly in our eyes because he was busy fumbling his mobile phones during the meeting. It was an impolitic behavior unexpected of a high official of government and aspiring politician.
Another ‘discovery’ was that he was not serious in hosting the meeting because there was no reservation made on his behalf. When we arrived at the appointed time, we were like interlopers in the place so that Lolong and I retreated to a room in a corner with our coffee cups and smoked ourselves to death.
I knew what the rest did: they restlessly talked in whispers, glancing regularly in their wristwatches, waiting for Bernie to materialize. The undersecretary, who might be using a timepiece set in Singapore time, arrived so late and without a bit of air of worry that like him we also live under a 24-hour-a-day schedule. I later quipped to Gilbert that he should be called ‘the late Bernie Fondevilla’.
Indeed, in that meeting he said he will not run because of his ‘impending’ appointment vice Sec. Arthur Yap, who is rumored to run for the Senate. Good luck, secretary-to-be Bernie.
Well, this is precisely my beef. I said to myself that if he really had decided not to pursue his dream, why decide so late in the day that he left his allies to twist in the wind and suffer the agony of waiting?
I also ‘discovered’ he didn’t like to share his knowledge with anyone, for when the discussion dealt on the need for the opposition to have a platform of governance and I asked him what his platform would be if he is the candidate, he said: “I have a platform, but that is mine. What’s yours?” Ha? Nio kuno?
This arrogance of an aspiring cabinet official was not lost on the group. Later, when we re-grouped to have cakes at the Starbucks on the Podium opposite the Discovery Suites (there was no food in the restaurant where we met, or there was, but I terribly lost appetite!), Bernie’s behavior was hot topic.
Being a writer, I have dealt with and encountered men of various persuasions and ideologies, likes and dislikes, motives and dreams, temperament and inspirations, but I cannot forget Bernie in that meeting because his behavior defied description.
He was sorrowful and pathetic. If he becomes a politician, he will discover, as I ‘discovered’ him, that voters like their leaders to be a little bit humble, not humbug; approachable, not aloof and arrogant.
Well, this episode about Bernie Fondevilla was not without a bright note. He pledged support to vice governor Alice and Dr. Lolong in their candidacies, although he did not categorically say in what form or capacity. So the pledge doesn’t mean anything—yet.
And what could be that support? Money? Votes? Can Bernie, as secretary of agriculture, influence a large chunk of Romblon voters to go for Alice and Lolong? Maybe. I hope so.
For example, when Lolong said he already has a mayor-candidate in Simara, Bernie was quick to promise to ‘deliver’ Simara to him. ‘Don’t worry about Simara. I’ll take care of it. I’ll deliver it to you,” he said.
When I heard this, my jaw dropped. Ha? I believe Bernie can be a politician, but I didn’t believe he can be this traditional. If I were a Simaranhon in that table, I would have been insulted, for who is Bernie Fondevilla to say that he can decide who the Simaranhons can vote for?
Indeed, when I sounded out this quip to a friend in Simara, she was aghast and said Bernie might eat his words.
Well, this is the sorrow of most traditional politicians, including Bernie Fondevilla. Because of their naked ambition for political power, they will say anything, even the inane, under the sun to endear themselves to the electorate. This, in fact, is not a warning. The elections are coming, so Romblon voters could expect many more ululations from politicians in the mold of Bernie Fondevilla.
He has another sorrow to bear and this is the fact that he unduly raised false hopes among Romblomanons, in the process setting back a great deal whatever plans the opposition might have of putting itself in the center of political power in the province.
Bernie, ask Barangay Captain Jun Bernardo about this, and you will know what I mean.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Asing Biniray?—The Fabicon-Fadrilan dialogue (2)
Let me refresh my readers about the Biniray, the subject of Fabicon-Fadrilan dialogue a year ago, which I retrieved, with the help of the former, from the archives.
The main reason I am writing about the topic is to provide Asi Banto-anons, Sibalenhons, Simaranhons, Odionganons, and Calatravanhons—and whoever is interested—a historical perspective of this enduring religious traditions which, I believe, is the thread that holds the Asi tribe together culturally and spiritually.
To understand the Biniray is to understand the Bantoanon psyche; to participate in it is to be interested in the evolution of the Bantoanons’ religious development.
As Fabicon wrote: “Maagnum ni hambilingon ka Biniray, lalo-ey kung ka mga batasan ag tradisyong pang kultural o pang sosyedad ay kaibhanan.”
It is in this context that we continue peering into the dialogue.
Asing biniray para kang San Nicolas?
Fadrilan: Inggwa pa et ibang dahilan. Si San Nicolas ay santong patron et mga marino (mariners). Sa Banton, inggwa et dating lanson nak ka ngayan ay San Nicolas. Ka tag-iya it kali ay taga-Soyawan sa Brgy. Banice. Ka ngayan et osang kompanya et mga lanson biyaheng Palawan et mga Fabula ay San Nicolas Lines. In Old Manila, San Nicolas was also a popular patron saint of many Chinese in the San Nicolas district of Binondo. An anecdote has it that through the intercession of San Nicolas, a Chinese child was saved from being devoured by a crocodile in the Pasig River. The Chinese used to have a fluvial parade (Biniray?) in honor of San Nicolas from Sta. Ana to Binondo (Del Pan) in the Pasig River.
There are San Nicolas patronal feast celebrations in about 40 town parishes, but four dioceses in the Philippines do not have the fluvial parade, or Biniray, event in their celebrations.
Fabicon: Your comments invite other trivia:St. Nicholas had performed significant miracles as well. The Senyor, stories had it, saved nine passengers in a sinking ship by holding on to them a lily.
In another occasion, he saved the burning castle of the Duke of Venice by throwing a piece of his famous blessed bread!Banton has its share of the San Nicholas story as well.
During the heydey of the galleon trade, the locals had contacts with the shipbuilders in Marinduque, thus, loan Spanish words in the Asi vocabulary exist to the present day: camarote, pugon, aribada, gromete, etc.
It was very possible that some Romblomanons, in general, and Bantoanons, in particular, as Bisayans, already learned the "language of the purling waves" in Cornelio Faigao's award winning poem, "The Brown Child").
The Bisayans' navigation skills were manna to the Spanish colonizers. Spanish chroniclers wrote of galleon ships manned by Bisayan crew members.It is significant to note that other than lanson and batil, the Bantoanons' alternative vessel for barter and trade was the pasahi/pasahe—a much-improved version of the biray.
It was very common during Biniray when a lanson or a batil were in drydock in Nasunogan. The pasahi took over as Senyor San Nicholas' "flagship". Devotees were all cramped in the upper deck as they sang and prayed in Hiligaynon!
Fadrilan: Unang nagrana sa isip et mga Biniray leaders kaling plano et kag guing totokor pa yang kag Silver Biniray, tuig 2007.
Inggua et pilang bangor, kung asing mahirap mahinabo kali sa nakraan: 1) Rakong gastos (plete, pagkaon, bayon) para sa mga deboto ni San Nicolas; 2) Mahabang oras (adlaw) nak sinra ay mapalta sa trabaho; 3) Marisgo ka biyahe sa ragat—ka buyan nak Septiyembre ay mabagyo, mauyan; ag 4) Waya et mas makusog nak dahilan. Inggua ra et Biniray (original) sa Banton.
Maramong Bantoanon nak nakaistar ngasing sa ibang lugar (liwit-liwit) ay nagpapauli sa Banton, banwang tinubuan, para sa pagrom-rom sa mga religious traditions kung Mahay nak Adlaw. Sa Metro Manila ag ibang lugar sa Luzon, ka imahe ni San Nicolas ay nag roro-aw sa mga bayay et debotong Bantoanon tuna et kag tuig 1999.
Ka naging mahadag nak ideya ngasing ay dapat pag-usahon ka selebrasyon et tanang Biniray events para kang San Nicolas. Ka main event ay dapat mahinabo sa "bayay" et ka Makaako ag ka ida serbidor nak si San Nicolas sa Banton. Ka mga ibang selebrasyon sa Romblon capital town, Odiongan, Metro Manila, ag Texas (USA) ay mga "supporting events".
Ngasing nak tuig 2008, ka tema et pista sa Banton ag Metro Manila ay a osa: "Nurturing Tradition, Living the Faith". Tan-a sa masunor nak mga tuig,kaling pagkakausa ay mahinabo. Osang Makaako. Osang Pagsalig. Osang San Nicolas. Osang Biniray.
Fabicon wrote that pre- and post-World War II Biniray activities enlivened the September Biniray week attributed to the active participation of the local government.
Fabicon: Perhaps, it is worthy of mention three Bantoanons—among the many in Banton's local history—ex-municipal mayors Silvestre Festin, Dionisio Fetalvero and teniente del barrio of Sibay, Luis Fabicon.
The three in the early 30s were known as "Manila boys", since they spent perhaps a couple or more of their post-teenage lives in Manila doing odd jobs before returning and living in Banton permanently.
Silvestre and Dionisio married fiesta queens, Nang Biday Fabonan and Nang Antang Fadri of "Miss Jones" fame, respectively. Luis married Felipa Festin-Faigao, the only daughter of Rufo Faigao, Banton's first elected municpal president.
The three men and their wives were very active in the promotion of Biniray in Banton, leading and organizing the communal pakaon, sadaw, comedia, koronasyon, novenas, banda performances, which were never absent as Biniray highlights.Without bias, Luis and Felipa had other things to do in Sibay. The couple’s first-born, Nicolas, born on September 10, died an infant's death, but they moved on.
The couple eked out a living, before they went to post-war teaching, by putting up a profitable sari-sari store in Sibay, one of the earliest Spanish posts in the island. Luis engaged in small business barter plying the neighboring islands in his pasahe, named, if i am not mistaken, San Nicolas. San Nicolas's crew saw two hardworking young men, Jose Faminial Sr. and Eugenio Fonte Sr.
Manong Joe, who is now retired in Toronto, Canada brings in him the "knowledge of the purling waves." Ask him about wind directions and he will oblige at will. The late Manong Gene, became a district supervisor in Romblon's public educational system.
Rinzi, it seems to me that prior to Suyawan and Banice, Sibay—with the San Nicolas pasahi and the sari-sair store as business models—gave birth to the concept of a corporation when the lanson Pinagaralan was launched under the leadership of ex-mayor Macario Festin. Pinagaralan also participated as flagship in the Biniray.
What am I writing about? It is, unfortunately, only a few of the many stories about all of us—our culture and history as an Asi community.
There are much more. Senyor San Nicolas is one of our major players in the search of our past and our faith in the pre- and post-Spnish Makaako The Biniray in manila cements what we have gone through regardless of our religious beliefs, our partisanhips, and kinships.
Lastly, Fabicon wrote: “Ka Biniray ag kulturang kayatay nak kung baga ay nakaluyloy sa ato mga paino-ino ay usang katawuhan it Asing kalag.
The main reason I am writing about the topic is to provide Asi Banto-anons, Sibalenhons, Simaranhons, Odionganons, and Calatravanhons—and whoever is interested—a historical perspective of this enduring religious traditions which, I believe, is the thread that holds the Asi tribe together culturally and spiritually.
To understand the Biniray is to understand the Bantoanon psyche; to participate in it is to be interested in the evolution of the Bantoanons’ religious development.
As Fabicon wrote: “Maagnum ni hambilingon ka Biniray, lalo-ey kung ka mga batasan ag tradisyong pang kultural o pang sosyedad ay kaibhanan.”
It is in this context that we continue peering into the dialogue.
Asing biniray para kang San Nicolas?
Fadrilan: Inggwa pa et ibang dahilan. Si San Nicolas ay santong patron et mga marino (mariners). Sa Banton, inggwa et dating lanson nak ka ngayan ay San Nicolas. Ka tag-iya it kali ay taga-Soyawan sa Brgy. Banice. Ka ngayan et osang kompanya et mga lanson biyaheng Palawan et mga Fabula ay San Nicolas Lines. In Old Manila, San Nicolas was also a popular patron saint of many Chinese in the San Nicolas district of Binondo. An anecdote has it that through the intercession of San Nicolas, a Chinese child was saved from being devoured by a crocodile in the Pasig River. The Chinese used to have a fluvial parade (Biniray?) in honor of San Nicolas from Sta. Ana to Binondo (Del Pan) in the Pasig River.
There are San Nicolas patronal feast celebrations in about 40 town parishes, but four dioceses in the Philippines do not have the fluvial parade, or Biniray, event in their celebrations.
Fabicon: Your comments invite other trivia:St. Nicholas had performed significant miracles as well. The Senyor, stories had it, saved nine passengers in a sinking ship by holding on to them a lily.
In another occasion, he saved the burning castle of the Duke of Venice by throwing a piece of his famous blessed bread!Banton has its share of the San Nicholas story as well.
During the heydey of the galleon trade, the locals had contacts with the shipbuilders in Marinduque, thus, loan Spanish words in the Asi vocabulary exist to the present day: camarote, pugon, aribada, gromete, etc.
It was very possible that some Romblomanons, in general, and Bantoanons, in particular, as Bisayans, already learned the "language of the purling waves" in Cornelio Faigao's award winning poem, "The Brown Child").
The Bisayans' navigation skills were manna to the Spanish colonizers. Spanish chroniclers wrote of galleon ships manned by Bisayan crew members.It is significant to note that other than lanson and batil, the Bantoanons' alternative vessel for barter and trade was the pasahi/pasahe—a much-improved version of the biray.
It was very common during Biniray when a lanson or a batil were in drydock in Nasunogan. The pasahi took over as Senyor San Nicholas' "flagship". Devotees were all cramped in the upper deck as they sang and prayed in Hiligaynon!
Fadrilan: Unang nagrana sa isip et mga Biniray leaders kaling plano et kag guing totokor pa yang kag Silver Biniray, tuig 2007.
Inggua et pilang bangor, kung asing mahirap mahinabo kali sa nakraan: 1) Rakong gastos (plete, pagkaon, bayon) para sa mga deboto ni San Nicolas; 2) Mahabang oras (adlaw) nak sinra ay mapalta sa trabaho; 3) Marisgo ka biyahe sa ragat—ka buyan nak Septiyembre ay mabagyo, mauyan; ag 4) Waya et mas makusog nak dahilan. Inggua ra et Biniray (original) sa Banton.
Maramong Bantoanon nak nakaistar ngasing sa ibang lugar (liwit-liwit) ay nagpapauli sa Banton, banwang tinubuan, para sa pagrom-rom sa mga religious traditions kung Mahay nak Adlaw. Sa Metro Manila ag ibang lugar sa Luzon, ka imahe ni San Nicolas ay nag roro-aw sa mga bayay et debotong Bantoanon tuna et kag tuig 1999.
Ka naging mahadag nak ideya ngasing ay dapat pag-usahon ka selebrasyon et tanang Biniray events para kang San Nicolas. Ka main event ay dapat mahinabo sa "bayay" et ka Makaako ag ka ida serbidor nak si San Nicolas sa Banton. Ka mga ibang selebrasyon sa Romblon capital town, Odiongan, Metro Manila, ag Texas (USA) ay mga "supporting events".
Ngasing nak tuig 2008, ka tema et pista sa Banton ag Metro Manila ay a osa: "Nurturing Tradition, Living the Faith". Tan-a sa masunor nak mga tuig,kaling pagkakausa ay mahinabo. Osang Makaako. Osang Pagsalig. Osang San Nicolas. Osang Biniray.
Fabicon wrote that pre- and post-World War II Biniray activities enlivened the September Biniray week attributed to the active participation of the local government.
Fabicon: Perhaps, it is worthy of mention three Bantoanons—among the many in Banton's local history—ex-municipal mayors Silvestre Festin, Dionisio Fetalvero and teniente del barrio of Sibay, Luis Fabicon.
The three in the early 30s were known as "Manila boys", since they spent perhaps a couple or more of their post-teenage lives in Manila doing odd jobs before returning and living in Banton permanently.
Silvestre and Dionisio married fiesta queens, Nang Biday Fabonan and Nang Antang Fadri of "Miss Jones" fame, respectively. Luis married Felipa Festin-Faigao, the only daughter of Rufo Faigao, Banton's first elected municpal president.
The three men and their wives were very active in the promotion of Biniray in Banton, leading and organizing the communal pakaon, sadaw, comedia, koronasyon, novenas, banda performances, which were never absent as Biniray highlights.Without bias, Luis and Felipa had other things to do in Sibay. The couple’s first-born, Nicolas, born on September 10, died an infant's death, but they moved on.
The couple eked out a living, before they went to post-war teaching, by putting up a profitable sari-sari store in Sibay, one of the earliest Spanish posts in the island. Luis engaged in small business barter plying the neighboring islands in his pasahe, named, if i am not mistaken, San Nicolas. San Nicolas's crew saw two hardworking young men, Jose Faminial Sr. and Eugenio Fonte Sr.
Manong Joe, who is now retired in Toronto, Canada brings in him the "knowledge of the purling waves." Ask him about wind directions and he will oblige at will. The late Manong Gene, became a district supervisor in Romblon's public educational system.
Rinzi, it seems to me that prior to Suyawan and Banice, Sibay—with the San Nicolas pasahi and the sari-sair store as business models—gave birth to the concept of a corporation when the lanson Pinagaralan was launched under the leadership of ex-mayor Macario Festin. Pinagaralan also participated as flagship in the Biniray.
What am I writing about? It is, unfortunately, only a few of the many stories about all of us—our culture and history as an Asi community.
There are much more. Senyor San Nicolas is one of our major players in the search of our past and our faith in the pre- and post-Spnish Makaako The Biniray in manila cements what we have gone through regardless of our religious beliefs, our partisanhips, and kinships.
Lastly, Fabicon wrote: “Ka Biniray ag kulturang kayatay nak kung baga ay nakaluyloy sa ato mga paino-ino ay usang katawuhan it Asing kalag.
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