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 Personifying: A MATA-Samar photo showing a plastic bag of rice purchased from local government's calamity fund but with names of Samar Gov. Sherrie Ann Tan and Vice Gov. Jimboy Tan prompted the DILG region to order its provincial office whether officials are violating its memorandum circular prohibiting politicians to put their names and photos on public project billboards. Photo courtesy of MATA-Samar Showing it is pro-governance but not anti-government, a newly formed citizen’s action group against corruption in Samar has begun working with key government agencies in a bid to improve local transparency and accountability.
Just a month after its formal launch in Catbalogan City on December 11, the Multisectoral Alliance for Transparency and Accountability in Samar (MATA-Samar) last week paid courtesy visits to the local offices of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Budget Management (DBM).
The meetings on January 25 were organized in a bid to implement transparency guidelines of President Noynoy Aquino’s new administration, according leaders of MATA-Samar. It comprised a loose but emerging group of concerned citizens who are keen to monitor the provision of public services when the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP) identified its potential as a pilot local anti-corruption group that could benefit from organization and training and in turn inspire and help others to set up around the country and build a people’s network for change.
The group’s first meeting was at the DILG where its local director Francisco C. Jose stressed the sincerity of his department to ensure public governance is made transparent and officials be made accountable for their acts at all times. MATA-Samar maintained that some local officials and representatives have failed to comply with government guidelines - especially on public disclosure of government transactions and the banning of public project billboards which carry the names and pictures of politicians as if projects are a gift from them.
Jose warned politicians that they could be held liable for violating new and mandatory government circulars banning such practices. MATA-Samar members recently took a series of photos of such project billboards still carrying the name and photograph of Governor Sherrie Ann Tan and her brother and vice governor Stephen “Jimboy” Tan. The photographs and a complaint were sent to PPTRP and to the local DILG.
Bizarrely, three kilogram plastic bags of containing rice allegedly bought from the region’s calamity fund were handed out with the names of the two Tan representatives as well as that of Mila Tan, former governor turned congresswoman written in black felt pen. Mila is the mother of the governor and vice governor.
“It would be sad if it is not so laughable,” a member of the public who did not wish to be named told PPTRP. “The Tans all imagine and act as if this is the Middle Ages and Samar is their fiefdom. But it isn’t. Not anymore.”
The practice of politicians putting their names and faces on public project billboards violates DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2010-101. Instead, details of the programs and projects should give only the project cost, the contractor's name and the construction periods as per the recent circular issued by the DILG.
Acting on an emailed report from MATA-Samar, Atty. Aida Z. Laruda, Assistant Regional Director of DILG Region 8 wrote a letter to Provincial Director Artemio B. Caneja, reminding him of the circular and ordering him to revisit all project sites where billboards are on display and submit a report of the action taken on or before January 31, 2011.
It is not yet known what, if anything has happened in response. MATA-Samar aims to closely monitoring the situation and is also hoping to hear from Governor Tan on how she proposes to work with the new group to improve local accountability.
Performance monitoring
At the meeting, the group was asked to draft mechanisms to implement a Memorandum of Agreement signed between the Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development (SIPPAD) and the DILG through Secretary Jesse Robredo. The MOA will be presented to local officials in a forum. MATA-Samar was also asked to help work out a more effective Local Government Performance Monitoring System (LGPMS) or score cards which will measure the efficiency and performance of government officials and offices concerned.
 DBM Assistant Director Edmund Talle joins MATA-Samar's training on budget issues and bidding processes. Photo courtesy of MATA-Samar As well as visiting and forging plans to work with the DILG, the citizens’ group had its first formal meeting with Assistant Director Edmund Talle of the Department of Budget and Management Region 8.
The discussion focused on budget issues, bidding and procurement procedures - as well as rules around mandatory public posting of all financial transactions by all local government units. MATA-Samar members complained that there were numerous reports of irregular bidding procedures in the provincial government of Samar that need challenging. Biddings schedules are unannounced and done even after office hours or in private residences. “The fact that things are done behind closed doors makes many people suspicious,” said a member of MATA-Samar.
According to Talle, "all biddings should be competitive and transparent. Bidding schedules and venues cannot be changed. If there will be changes, a Supplemental Bid Bulletin has to be publicized 10 days before the opening. Observers should be allowed during the bidding activities. If not posted, we can question and report the BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) for not complying with proper implementation.”
Talle showed his commitment to working with the new group by subsequently joining a training workshop in Catbalogan entitled “Budget Process, Tracking and Procurement which MATA-Samar organized and held January 29.
MATA-Samar members also met with COA Director Rodulfo Ariesga who announced that the Commission recently made Samar one of their four priority areas.
"Everybody needs to be working for the better now – both in this office and outside and I encourage your group to be vigilant and I commit to strengthen our engagement with the CSOs in promoting transparency mechanisms. Complaints will never be a burden. Taken positively, it's a help to the auditors," Director Ariesga told members.
MATA-Samar will look into the Audit Report for 2009 which is already available on the COA website and recognizing the limitations of COA’s mandate to be simply recommendatory, the anti-corruption group will seek the help of the Corruption Prevention Unit and the Ombudsman in the filing of any necessary cases such as disallowances, GSIS non-remittance or Internal Revenue Allotments being made as collaterals for loans in private lending institutions.
These are just a few of the priority concerns and areas MATA-Samar will be closely examining in the weeks ahead. Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project
(The author writes for Samarnews.com and is a member of MATA-Samar).
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What's wrong with these photos (apart from the blocked out bits)? 
Comments
Marami sa mga kababayan natin ang nagpapabili ng boto. Inaamin ko po na ako po ay hindi pa bomoboto dahil ako po ay 17 pa lamang po.. I mean, Hello?! my future isn't worth 1,500..
it's an insult not only to me but also to the people of Samar and the rest of the Philippines.
Now, I'm on my knees begging the people of Samar and the whole Philippines to PLEASE choose the right ones. theones who will serve us not the ones whom we will be serving!
Now, I'm on my knees begging you to PLEEEEAASE help me and the whole country to experience a clean and honest governance for the very first time sa tanang buhay ko..
I'm on my knees because I'm brave, because I'm not afraid to say NO to those people who took away the money of the people for their own good, even if one day they'll come to my house with guns and shoot me right on my head for saying no to them or for telling the truth!
To the people of Samar, I am asking fro your cooperation.. if you love your children, if you care about the generations to come please start the change now.
^^)
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