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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Cabaero: When a gift is not a gift
By Nini B. Cabaero
Beyond 30
Lechon or roasted pig has always been the main table attraction in many Filipino celebrations. A house blessing, a graduation, a birthday celebration or an anniversary marked at home would likely have the lechon as party fare.
I was probably one of those who partook of a lechon in a celebration where the roasted pig was a “donation” of a government official or a government office. But it wasn’t until yesterday when I realized the piece of lechon I consumed in that party must have been paid for by me.
That gift, or “donation,” was not really a gift because the people’s taxes were used to have that lechon on the table.
The Sun.Star Cebu issue yesterday highlighted a reminder given by City officials to their colleagues about the people’s money (taxes) being used to buy lechon for an organization’s anniversary or a barangay’s fiesta or for whatever reason.
The report asked, “How much does one lechon cost?” It could be that one lechon paid for by government is P5,000, the amount sought in a Cebu City Council resolution that the report quoted. Anyone who has bought a lechon with his or her own money would know a good one would cost only P3,000. A little haggling would fetch the buyer a price of P2,800.
Why the price difference when a government office or official buys the lechon? One scenario is that a pig is trying to skim off some money off a roasted pig.
The City Council was to act on a draft resolution stemming from a government office’s request for money to mark a celebration.
Part of the money, or exactly P10,000, was to be used to purchase two lechons.
The proposal was deferred. The reasons are government’s austerity measures and an earlier audit report that had City officials refunding the amounts used to buy lechon for their office Christmas parties and as gifts in celebrations of barangays and non-government organizations.
It isn’t enough for the City Council to not act on the draft resolution on one celebration. If it were serious about cutting down on unnecessary expenses, it would need to remove lechon from the list of expense items that the government may fund. It should learn to say “no” to lechon.
Future “donations” of lechon would have to come from the pockets of government officials, not from the people’s taxes. If their measly monthly salary couldn’t afford it, then some pigs will just have to live a little longer.
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A daily novena-mass is going on at the St. Therese Parish in Lahug for the eternal repose of the late former senator Raul Roco. The novena starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by a mass at 6 p.m. until Thursday.
On Friday, August 19, the novena will start at 7 p.m. This will be followed by dinner and an exhibit on Roco at the social hall.
(ninicab@sunstar.com.ph)
(August 16, 2005 issue)
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