Friday, October 12, 2007 Budget for senior citizens 'misused' By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
THE City Government of Bacolod has another issue to be clarified. This time, it involves the P4.3 million-budget for the Senior Citizens Association in the City's Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD).
Baltazar Java, current president of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines (FSCAP), said Thursday that most of their budget for 2007 was not used based on what was stated in the financial plan (FP).
Instead most of it was spent on the salaries and wages of job order employees of the city, Java said.
"The entry is deceiving but this 'general services' goes to personnel services or the 'casuals' working at City Hall right now, " Java said. He called it "misuse" of funds.
Java, in his presentation to the media, showed a copy of the financial plan for the Senior Citizens Association in Bacolod funded through the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for the current year.
Among the things funded are those under maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) amounting to P3,446,898.50; non-office expenditures-- P192,143.30, and capital outlay--P746,319.20.
MOOE's budget components include general services-2,192,680 other professional services-P468,000; office supplies-P100,000; printing and binding-P100,000; water expense-P12,672; repair and maintenance of vehicle-P25,000; gasoline, oil and lubricants-P54,048; training and seminar-P20,000; advertising and publication-P10,000; food expenses and supplemental feeding- P231,000; communication expense P9,598.00; and repair and maintenance of Senior Citizens Center-P223,500.
At the non-office, these include the socio-cultural activities--P78,458.70; Elderly Week celebration--P81,538.00; and physical fitness--P32,166.60.
While under capital outlay are the purchase of Nuga Best (Thermo Accupressure Massager)-P666,666.70; airconditioning units-P46,776.60; portable typewriter-P10,000; and karaoke with DVD player-P22,876.
Java, however, asked: "How come these items were listed with corresponding budget since some of them do not exist right now?"
He was puzzled why there was a P25,000 budget for repair and maintenance of vehicle when the City had never provided them with one.
He also questioned the P231,1000 budget intended for food expenses/supplemental feeding.
Java also asked about the P223,500 budget allotted to the repair and maintenance of the Senior Citizens Center because until now, they haven't seen any repair of the center.
Diversion of budget
Instead, Java lamented that most of the present stipulated budget for Senior Citizens Development Program for 2007 was only spent for "nothing” or for payment of job order and casual employees in the City.
He is also lamenting on the fact that the DSSD brought several units of Nuga Best beds amounting to P666,666 without consulting them.
Worse, they placed all these Nuga Best beds in the Center, thus eating up a significant portion of the place.
Most of the elderly in Bacolod are also afraid of these Nuga Best beds as they feel these are dangerous to their health.
As to the service vehicle, Java stressed, "I have been asking Mayor Leonardia for transportation allowance for every consultation meeting since our members from different areas cannot afford the transportation fare and snacks. So where is our vehicle now?"
Meanwhile, none from DSSD would like to comment on the issue yet.
