BARANGAY officials together with their mayor made representation early this year to their House representative to repair a mountain road that the rains had deformed. Her honor sent them away empty handed because she had no budget for it.

Undaunted, they went to the governor and got the commitment of a “truck team“ which is a compliment of road maintenance crew from the provincial engineer’s office comprising at least five trucks, a bulldozer, a grader and a roller.

The solon, fearing she might be left out, delivered a few truckloads of sand and gravel to help the repair. Barangay residents, however, knew to whom they were more indebted.

In another incident, the same set of barangay officials together with their mayor asked their House representative assistance for a footbridge on a river that in 2006 swallowed a heavy duty jeepney and some 60 passengers only half of whom were later recovered.

The legislator sent them away empty handed.

Hopeful still, the local officials knocked on the door of their governor armed with the structure’s engineering design. The latter proposed to a “counterparting” scheme, that is, the province would shoulder half of the proposed P600,000 budget, the other half by the municipality. The barangays were to contribute labor and food for the workers. They accepted the proposal and they left happy for having a fruitful trip.

The solon, feeling isolated, contacted the mayor inquiring if she could be of help in any way. Thanks, the mayor answered, you may contribute if you want to. She pledged sand and gravel for the approaches of the footbridge that would make crossing of the river safer for people, motorcycles, tricycles and animals. The chief executive could have rejected her offer outright to her who hesitated to help.

***

In the aftermath of typhoon “Frank”, this southern town had 60 houses washed away by the flood, and some 260 persons turned evacuees. Save for one who died from a mudslide, there was no other casualty as families on riverbanks had fled in time.

The town promptly released relief to the victims, and later, obtained more from the province — 150 bags of rice, canned goods and P200,000 cash assistance.

The DSWD, a national agency, had repacked bags containing rice, canned goods and water. The solon, for strange reasons, told them to wait for her as she herself was to distribute them to the victims. The DSWD goodies reached the beneficiaries marked with the name of her honor as if she were the magnanimous donor thereof.

We later heard the husband of the solon, a provincial official, on radio making yakkity-yak-yak on alleged irregularities in the disbursement and distribution of relief supplies to the municipalities.

It may be possible that some relief goods might indeed fell into the wrong hands or were distributed by private persons in the towns instead of having been delivered to the municipal disaster coordinating council headed by the mayor. But such aberration was an exception to the general rule that the province and its employees responded well to the disaster.

The flood struck morning of June 21, a Saturday. That same day, Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr., assembled all the trucks of the province for rescue and delivery of relief to the towns. The following day until June 29 relief operations were in full swing with personnel from the office of general services, social welfare office and engineer’s office, bearing the brunt of work.

Even private security guards and janitors joined the 24-hour relief efforts.

Many provincial employees including Jerry Bionat, executive secretary of the provincial disaster coordinating council, were typhoon victims themselves but they still went out of their way and stayed on at the capitol on 24-hour basis.

One Response to “Hesitated to help”

• 1
  Dr. Antonio Gestosani
  July 15th, 2008 00:30

  This is what a true public service should be and will be. The Governor who listen to his constituents and offer a solution, not send them home with empty promises. I am glad you have the Governor who is sympathetic, honest and sincere - my hats-off to you, Governor Tupas. Although I am half away from you, but I know the incident happened in Igbaras, Iloilo, and the Solon involved were Cong. Janet Garin, and the porvincial official was her husband Richrd Garin. I have some personal issue with them, and I won’t be surprised with this despicable behavior coming from them. I only hope that the people of the 1st district of Iloilo will accept their mistake and the dire consequences of their action when you allow to sell your votes. My friends, you get what you paid for.

Leave a Reply