Tuesday, October 09, 2007 Book produced to instill values among kids
FORMER Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano said he had good intentions of producing the book “Mandauehanong Mithi” and he had no plans of using it for his son’s political ends.
“Because of the values we instill among our pupils, we can stop corruption,” Ouano told reporters.
He said the book’s main objective is to develop character and instill values to pre-schoolers and grade 1 pupils, the book’s target readers.
Like the school bags with Jonkie Ouano’s photo printed on it, Ouano said it was intended for poor pupils to encourage them to go to school.
Mayor Jonas Cortes is now checking the special education fund (SEF) purchases worth P18,226,202 “to see if the items were actually delivered by the suppliers and if they were distributed to pupils.”
Some P8.9 million worth of checks were issued last March 12 and 16 during the Ouano administration. About P9.3 million worth of checks were issued last June 27, 28 and 29 when Vice Mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. took over as acting mayor.
The payment last June 29 was for the printing of 5,710 copies of “Mandauehanong Mithi” to JWT Corp., worth P1,873,593.
At noon the following day, Cortes took over as mayor.
Printed on the book’s inside cover was “Conceptualized and prepared by Hon.Thadeo Ouano and DepEd officials.”
Another item in the purchases was the March 12 check worth P3,968739.72 issued to Abiva Publishing, reportedly for school bags with Jonkie Ouano’s name printed on it.
The former mayor said all these projects complement the City’s program for the youth.
Ouano said he conceptualized the book in 2000 as it took them seven years to see it printed, which makes it impossible for him to use it plainly for their political ends.
Character city
“It is our anchor program to complement our goal to make Mandaue a character city,” Ouano told reporters yesterday.
On Nov. 18, 2003 the then City Council passed Resolution 09-694-2003 declaring Mandaue, a city of character, “… and urging all government officials, employees, businessmen, law enforcement agencies, religious and community leaders and all citizens to develop and maintain positive character qualities.”
Approved
Ouano said Cortes was a member of that council, which approved the resolution.
Although the resolution did not mention the creation of book “Mandaue-hanong Mithi”, Ouano said the book is a way to achieve the goals of that resolution.
When asked why his picture is in the book, Ouano said this is because he is the one responsible for the publication of the book, with the help of teachers and DepEd officials.
In the same manner, he said they gave poor pupils school bags to encourage them to attend school.
And to nourish their body with proper nutrients, as what the book also teaches, the City launched a milk-feeding program for children, he said.
As to why Ouano’s biography is on the inside back cover, he said it it will tell that the readers of his qualifications in conceptualizing the book.
His son Jonkie also appeared in the book, because “he represents the youth.”
“We are the only city in the country to produce this kind of book,” said Ouano. (OCP)
