Friday, November 14, 2008 PB hits guv on audit report By Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Members of the Provincial Board (PB) lashed at Governor Eddie Panlilio regarding the latest Commission on Audit (COA) report that listed Pampanga as the third province with highest earnings and least liabilities.
On Wednesday, Vice Governor Joseller "Yeng" Guaio, who just arrived from his trip in the US, said the COA report should be first scrutinized to actually find out to whom the credit is due for the ranking.
In the latest COA report, Pampanga ranked as third among 80 provinces and 137 cities of the Philippines, which got the highest score in accumulated assets.
The province got a current asset of P966.34 million and also ranked fifth over other local government units (LGUs) in the country with P681.28 million as substantial amount of cash in bank.
But for Guiao, if indeed Panlilio had caused the increase in assets in the province, the priest-governor should be commended for the said development.
"But then again, we must look on how this money is to spent for worthwhile programs. The money is in the bank and while it is there, it cannot actually help our constituents," Guiao said.
The vice governor explained that the Provincial Government's assets should not sleep inside the bank vaults but should be utilized for basic services.
"What the governor has now are 'band aide' projects that only cater to a few of our constituents. When we talk of real projects, money should be spent for projects with the greatest impact that can benefit all our constituents," Guiao said.
He added that the COA report gives a startling realization on how the Panlilio administration should be spending for needed services.
First District Board Member Crisostomo agreed with Guiao but made more stingy comments.
"The COA report reflects that the governor is not a good manager. The Provincial Government is not a private company that should amass money," Garbo said.
Garbo said the COA report merely reflects the "inefficient governance of Panlilio" in terms of managing the financial assets of the province. If there is one thing that is beneficial from the COA report, according to Garbo, it serves as a good promotional material for the governor.
"This report merely shows that he does not now how to manage the assets and use them properly. This is evidenced by the poor delivery of basic services to the people," Garbo said, adding that Panlilio could not even cite any substantial developments in the 21 local government units of the province.
He also said unlike private firms and business establishments that aim to garner enough earnings and assets, the Provincial Government should be concerned with funneling monetary earnings in terms of basic services to the poor.
"Money should not stagnate on some banks and not be utilized by the government, the more its stays in the coffers the more our people are deprived of the needed developments," Garbo said.
Panlilio, for his part, said appropriations were made for developments in the province but most have yet to be approved by the PB. "I have made enough developments in many towns in terms of road infrastructure and bringing basic social services to the far flung villages of Pampanga."
To this, budgets should be justified before even being released.
But Panlilio, on the other hand, expressed his bewilderment as to what "justifications" the PB is asking from the executive department. He said required documents have been presented to the Board and that Capitol representatives have already appeared in the hearings.
The governor had credited the ranking on the COA report partly on the previous administration of Governor Mark Lapid and the good collection in quarry taxes in the province.
"In fairness to my predecessor, they did not loan money for the province. And in almost many aspects the province has been earning a lot and this was also coupled by the provinces Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA)," Panlilio said.
The PB earlier approved the P180 million Provincial Investment and Development Plan for 2008.
"We have approved this despite marginalized justifications of the governor. In terms of governance, the governor has much to prove in his almost three-year term. The province needs more in terms of development and social services. This could not be achieved if the money stays in the bank," Garbo said.
