Monday, February 04, 2008 PB says Moka violates award guidelines By Marna H. Dagumboy
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Provincial Board (PB) contemplates on stripping the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award (Moka) 2007 awardees due to the search committee's "procedural violation," as provided for under Ordinance 56.
During the PB's committee en banc hearing here last week, they said the Moka 2007 committee had violated the ordinance that mandates the conferment of awards to outstanding Pampangueños.
The Moka 2007 committee, according to the PB, had violated and failed to follow the guidelines as stipulated in the ordinance, specifically the "lack of time, promotional strategy and coordination."
The committee did not follow the ordinance, which institute the Moka and provided for the qualifications, criteria and mechanics for the selection of awardees.
Pampanga first district Board Member Tars Halili said some of the "faults" were the late organization and planning of the Moka 2007 committee, late implementation of programs embodied in PB Ordinance 56, the omission of different categories from the Moka 2007 nomination forms, and others.
"The Moka program for 2007 is the most hastily convened program. Without consultation and coordination, we will surely redound to a subjective rather than objective selection of awardees," Halili said.
According to Halili, the PB ordinance was adopted in 2005 to professionalize the process in the selection of the outstanding Kapampangans in different fields and professions. He said it is also envisioned to give enough time for the launching, selecting and judging procedures to ensure that the evaluation of nominees, including their performance and achievements, "will be properly executed."
He added that the process of selection underwent various changes and improvement to insulate it from political pressures.
Only the best in each category will be selected for the Moka, the board member said.
"How can all of these processes be done in one month without sacrificing the quality, objectivity, fairness, and prestige in recognizing the most outstanding achievers," Halili stressed.
Governor Eddie Panlilio defended the Moka 2007 committee, saying it did its best to properly hold the awards night and selection of outstanding Kapampangans.
For his part, Provincial Tourism Officer Ian Mejia, who is also the secretary of the 436th Aldo Ning Kapampangan executive committee, said the Moka 2007 committee worked hard to follow what is written in the Moka ordinance.
Mejia claimed that no rulings and guidelines in the ordinance were violated.
He said the 15 Moka categories stated in PB Ordinance 56 include law enforcement, education, parenthood, sports, government service, business and entrepreneurship, religion, culture and the arts, agriculture, science and technology, mass media, youth service, judicial service, social services and the Outstanding Honorary Kapampangan Award.
Mejia claimed that the Moka 2007 committee observed all of the guidelines.
He admitted there were minor faults in the process, but said these would not affect the integrity of the Moka 2007.
The 2007 awardees include Alesandra Araullo (sports), poet Antonio Peña (culture and the arts), Ritchie Basa (agriculture), Engineer Mariano Castro (social services) and Judge Divina Luz Simbulan (judicial service), Ma. Lourdes Carmela Pangilinan (youth service), Lolita Hizon (business), and Benito Escasa (honorary Kapampangan).
Earlier, Alfrito Mah, chairperson of the Aldo Ning Kapampangan 2007 executive committee, said the awardees were chosen scrupulously by the committee in charge.
"We were very careful in choosing the awardees and we have not violated any existing provision in selection and conduct of the Moka," Mah said, adding that their only lapse would be organizing the committee a bit late than usual.
Under Ordinance 56, the Moka committee should be convened in the month of February. Last year, it was convened in May.
