Monday, February 18, 2008 PJ Garcia suspects fund misuse among reasons for dengue surge in Toledo By Jujemay G. Awit Sun.Star Staff Reporter
WITH Toledo City among the areas with the most number of dengue cases reported so far this year and last year, the district congressman questioned how funds for “clean and green” projects in 2007 were spent.
Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, third district), in a press statement to Sun.Star Cebu, described the city’s dengue figures as a cause for concern.
Since the start of the year until Feb. 8, Toledo City reported 28 dengue cases, not 35 as earlier reported, placing it second in the province’s list of areas with the most number of dengue cases.
Talisay City ranked first with 35 dengue cases.
“But what is truly disturbing is the fact that Toledo City, in the year 2007, spent more than P12 million out of its meager resources in so-called ‘clean and green’ projects, or their variants, ostensibly to clean up the 38 barangays of the city,” read Garcia’s statement.
Election expenses?
He also claimed that there was a separate P10 million that then congressman Antonio Yapha Jr. allocated for Toledo City’s environment and sanitation program.
“If these funds were really spent for the pretended purpose, they would have been enough to wipe out dengue from such a small city as Toledo,” Garcia said further.
“The worsening dengue figures give credence to the suspicion that these so-called ‘clean and green’ funds were used to fund election expenses.”
After three terms as the district congressman, Dr. Yapha ran for governor, but lost, during the May 2007 elections against Pablo John’s sister Gwendolyn Garcia. Pablo John’s first term as congressman began in July last year.
Yapha denied the allegation that the funds were misused.
“Wala na ko kahibawo ana (That’s beyond me). Once I give financial assistance, it is the prerogative of the mayor how to use it,” Yapha told Sun.Star Cebu in a mobile phone interview.
Yapha also explained that dengue programs are the main concern of the Department of Health, but with the support of the community.
He said he wonders why he was still dragged into the issue when he is already living a private life.
“What do the clean and green programs have to do with the worsening dengue situation of Toledo City?” was Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo’s question, in a separate interview.
Drains
On the issue of how the clean and green program funding was used, Zambo said it was used according to the specifications.
Toledo City is very clean, she added.
As for the high number of dengue cases, Zambo said the City Government has already pinpointed the culprit, which is the drainage system.
She explained that the program of works for the drainage system was already prepared, particularly for Barangay Luray II, to solve the city’s dengue problem.
“The money for clean and green projects was used for that purpose and we also have funding for the fight against dengue,” said Zambo.
Toledo City ranked fifth overall in the most number of dengue cases in the province last year, with 286 victims and one death.
Instead of questioning how Toledo City spent its funding, Zambo instead asked Pablo John to help the City solve its drainage problem especially along national roads.
Audit
Congressman Garcia alleged further that the yearly allocations for clean and green programs are released every three years, just in time for the election period.
“And yet, considering the tens of millions of pesos spent on these programs for the past 10 years, it is surprising why Toledo City still cannot even remotely be considered the model of a clean and green environment,” Garcia stated.
Zambo begged to differ, describing Toledo as a “clean city.”
Garcia said he will ask the Commission on Audit to review how the funds were spent in Toledo City, while promising to work with the Integrated Provincial Health Office to lower the dengue cases in that city.
Zambo, however, said that Toledo City has sustained its dengue programs especially with the creation of the Barangay Anti-Dengue Task Force. However, incessant rains caused the increase of dengue cases not just in Toledo City but in the entire province, she added.
