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Friday, April 28, 2006
Talk back: Eversley Childs issue
Gemma C. Cabanos, MD, MPH
Executive Director, Philippine Leprosy Mission Inc.
Quezon City
Philippine Leprosy Mission would like to respond to an article that appeared in your paper dated April 22, 2006, page A-12, entitled “Ouster of Eversley Chief Sought.”
We would like to correct the portion that said: "Worse, the budget of the Philippine Leprosy Mission (PLM) for patients' aid and income-generating projects was being diverted and used as additional funds for the canteen without the knowledge of PLM."
First of all, PLM supports a people's organization (composed of former Hansenites) and a church project in the Jagobiao community. These organizations have their own and separate entities.
Any fund for the support of their projects goes directly to their respective accounts, and not to Eversley Childs Sanitarium. Our office requires these organizations to submit their quarterly reports to us, which includes their financial statement.
And we conduct regular financial audit of their projects as well as require from them an audited (by an external auditor) statement at the end of the year.
So far in our partnership with them since 2000, we have found their financial transactions accounted for and in good order.
Eversley Childs Sanitarium (ECS) does not hold their funds for these organizations because ECS does not run their projects.
Next clarification: PLM does not grant ECS funds for any income-generating project, not even for their in-patients. What we provided in the past was for the improvement of its physical rehabilitation facilities.
At present, we provide educational assistance to some of the patients, but then again, all transactions had been and are being receipted, properly recorded, and audited by our office.
We are reacting to the statement that ECS has been using PLM funds intended for patients' projects without our knowledge because this is not so. PLM makes sure it knows where all of its funds are, because we value stewardship.
We have a long-standing partnership with Eversley Childs Sanitarium, and also with Dr. Gerardo Aquino, in leprosy work. This partnership is built on mutual trust.
We have worked with Doctor Aquino for good number of years, and we have found him to be straight and circumspect in his dealings.
We ask that in the future, articles involving the name of our organization, be checked with us first. This will be in the spirit of fairness and accuracy.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 28, 2006 issue)
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