Tuesday, September 02, 2008 Panlilio rides jeepney to work By Bert Basa and Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Provincial Government employees were stunned when they saw Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio disembark from a passenger jeepney in front of the Capitol on Monday.
Panlilio, accompanied by some colleagues and bodyguards, left his two government service vehicles because his office's fuel allocation has been depleted.
The P100-million supplemental budget that he requested from the Provincial Board (PB) last April 21 has not been approved for an unknown reason, according to Panlilio.
Panlilio took a jeepney ride from his quarters in the University of the Assumption to the San Fernando Public Market and walked a short distance to take another ride to the Capitol.
The governor explained that the funds of his office were depleted after it shouldered the operations of the Provincial Information Office (PIO), the Management Information System (MIS), the Biyaya A Luluguran at Sisikapan (Balas) task force, and the Arts, Culture and Tourism Office (Acto) since the PB did not approve the 2008 budget of the said offices.
It was learned that the operating budget for the Governor's Office for 2008 was set at P9.5 million.
Panlilio asked for a P13-million supplemental budget for his office.
"I would be commuting starting today (Monday) because there are no more funds to shoulder our gasoline expenses," he said.
On Monday, Panlilio and his bodyguards were seen onboard two passenger tricycles on their way to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council meeting at King's Royale Restaurant in Bacolor town.
Earlier, Guiao lashed out at Panlilio for using the budget for his office to finance the four other units that resulted to the fund depletion. Guiao said what Panlilio did was a case of technical malversation.
Guiao said the usual practice in requesting for additional budget is around 10 percent of the original fund. He said the governor's request for additional P13 million is bigger than the Office of the Governor's current P9.5 million budget for maintenance and other operating expenses.
Funds should be protected from being shifted from one office to another, the vice governor said.
But Panlilio defended his action by saying the four offices were not separate departments but units under the Office of the Governor.
"We cannot allow these units not to function because they are a very big help in rendering efficient service to the province," Panlilio said, adding that he finds it ironic that his request for supplemental budget was not granted despite the glaring increase in quarry collections.
He said about P30 million from the budget he had requested is intended for the province's scholarship program. The remaining amount will be the operation of the Office of the Governor, including his fuel allowance.
The priest-turned-governor said he will just "ride a jeep or minibus" to attend activities in various parts of the province.
