|
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Soc grills organizers on ‘lechon’ fest funds
The pomp and grandeur of the 2005 Inasal Festival in Talisay City may not be seen this year, that is if Mayor Socrates “Soc” Fernandez will not change his mind.
Fernandez wants a full accounting of last year’s expenses before he decides whether to go ahead with the staging of the Inasal Festival, which would cap the City’s annual fiesta this October.
The mayor made the announcement during last Thursday’s Tourism Heritage Council meeting with department heads and Councilor Shirley Belleza, the Inasal overall chairperson.
Donations
“I want the accounting of the total expenses, how much was taken from the City’s coffers as well the (cash) donations for the festival,” Fernandez told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Fernandez was responding to calls from some quarters that the City Government must give a complete accounting of last year’s festival.
Independent Councilor Alan Bucao earlier said that the Talisaynons have the right to know the real score on the expenses and cash donations of the highly publicized event.
Bucao quoted a source as saying that a food catering service, which the City hired during the festival, has not been fully paid yet.
Initially, the mayor’s office was told that the overall expenses of the Inasal Festival, including the minor activities, reached P3.2 million.
This already included the solicited donations from Rep. Eduardo “Eddiegul” Gullas (Cebu, 1st district), government agencies and individuals.
For her part, Belleza said her office, which served as the “nerve center” of the festivity, has already liquidated the cash advances it made days after the staging of the weeklong activities.
Cash advances
“Although I’m the overall chairperson, several committees were chaired by an individual person,” Belleza said.
The cash advances covered the airfares, food and accommodation of the invited guests and celebrities, she said.
But Belleza was a saddened by the mayor’s pronouncement not to hold the Inasal Festival this year.
She said that last year’s staging proved to have greatly helped the businesses of ordinary Talisaynons, such as the lechon makers, tricycle drivers, fruit, vegetable and peanut vendors and several others.
Belleza lamented that the mayor’s decision came when the City is set to hold a better and grander festival this year, as it plans to combine in one staging the Inasal parade and the Halad dance, a yearly offering to Talisay’s patron saint Sta. Teresa de Avila.
Still, Belleza expressed her thanks to the Talisaynons and City Hall workers who shared their time and talents for the success of last year’s Inasal Festival. (GC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 4, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
