CATBALOGAN, Samar
– Whine not anymore if the drugs and other medicines that are currently
being purchased by the province for distribution and use of the Samareños, are not the ones that they really need, because there is no
more body who sees to it that the medicines being purchased are the
right medicines that the people need.
In the last session of
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here, ex-Officio Board Member Joseph
Escober presented with firm insistence that the “therapeutic
committee” be dissolve due to a simple reason of redundancy of its
existence with the new “procurement law”, that gives local chief
executives the authority to purchase drugs or other merchandise at
their discretion.
BM Escober’s motion
was likewise backed up by BM Fe Arcales, who informed that the said
committee has been useless and inactive since its creation, and at
present only two of its original members are readily available even if
it will convene.
The motion that came
as a surprise to the “august body”, and likewise stirred suspicion
among other members of the SP that “something” might have cropped
again in the procurement routines of the office of Governor Milagrosa
T. Tan, at which has been exercising the privileges endowed by the new
procurement law.
During the course of
the SP session, some board members did not question the motion but
contended the scuttling assertion of BM Escober to resolve the subject
right during the last SP session.
“We could have treat
the matter some other time, and possibly could have conducted a
thorough study if dissolving the said committee will not affect our
health services to the people”, a reliable insider in the SP who
requested not to be identified just yet said.
“I don’t see any
urgency over the subject, it is very apparent that drugs and medical
supplies for the province’ health programs are being rendered by the
governor’s office, the whole of Samar know this fact, and that is her
right based on our procurement law”, he added.
The same source
disclosed that during the deliberation over the issue, BM Escober was
noted saying as quoted “Kay adto na liwat, ginkasuhan na liwat hi
Governor!”, with BM Minandro “Boy” Tiopes contended by saying as
quoted “Kay amo ngayan, ngan kita na liwat dinhe an pagsisinamukon”.
On the other hand,
Vice-Governor Jesus B. Redaja, confirmed that there was indeed a rush
in repealing the ordinance that created the “therapeutic committee”,
and admitted that the SP did no longer considered studying the
proposed motion despite of the fact that the said ordinance holds a
provision that will supposedly ensure that Samareño people gets the
right medicines that they need. “And that provision is not stipulated
in the new procurement law”, he revealed.
“Sec. 4 of that
ordinance says that the therapeutic committee shall act as the
recommending body as to the kind of medicines that should be procured
by the province, and such recommendation is based on the assessment
made relative to the medical need of the constituents” explained
Redaja.
“I don’t know
exactly why should they rush the SP to repeal the ordinance, kay bisan
pa man na-repeal na nam ine, kun an kaso dida pa han na-eksister pa
ine nga committee, useless gad ine nga pag-dinali hiton pira nga mga
board members, lugod waray ma-presentar hin maupay iton mga dapat nga
buhaton alinsunod hin pag-repeal hin usa nga ordinansa”, Redaja
concluded.
