Known whistleblower is new president of ARO in Eastern Visayas

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
March 12, 2007

NAVAL, Biliran  –  The courageous man who exposed the highly controversial switching of confiscated smuggled rice with sawdust in June 2002 when he was still the supervisor in the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Alang-Alang, Leyte, is now the newly elected president of the Association of Resident Ombudsmen (ARO) in region 8.

The election of Ruben M. Manatad, resident ombudsman of NFA 8, to the top post in ARO 8 is highly recommended by his peers not only because he’s a whistleblower but the group wanted a person that can best promote and enhance the ideals, vision and mission of the organization.

Manatad who is also the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Manager of NFA in the province of Biliran bared in an interview after his election as President of ARO in the region that he will raise the level of commitment of the resident ombudsmen in the region over and above personal interest.

The recipient of the 2006 Whistleblower Award said that as watchdog of agency responsible in the fight against perceive graft and corruption in the bureaucracy, one must not bow down to the wishes and caprices of people in the corridors of power or compromise the welfare of the majority for own benefit and welfare.

The newly elected ARO 8 president who will serve from 2007 to 2009 also envisions to equip resident ombudsmen with the necessary skills in the exercise of their duties and functions so they may effectively and efficiently carry-out the main objective of the organization which is to weed-out graft and corrupt practices in the bureaucracy.

Manatad emphasized that ARO 8 under his leadership will vigorously campaign for integrity and genuine public service which he believes would be the strong guidepost in restoring the seemingly fading trust and confidence of the people in the bureaucracy.

The new set of ARO 8 officers who will serve for a term of two years are: President-Ruben M. Manatad, NFA; Vice-President for Leyte and Biliran Province-Jose Clarin, Pag-Ibig Fund; Vice-President for Samar Provinces-Luisito M. Quitalig, Samar State University (SSU); Secretary-Rosemarie TC. Padilla, Bureau of Customs (BOC); Asst. Secretary-Merla Duran, Eastern Samar State University (ESSU); Treasurer-Pilar Raagas, Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF); Assistant Treasurer-Dalila Villegas, National Telecommunication Commission (NTC); Public Information Officer-Hermanito Mangalao-Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Business Manager-Isabelo Gervacio, Naval Institute of Technology (NIT); Auditor-Ireneo Maribojoc, Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (TTMIST) and Board of Directors-Pablo U. Amascual III, Leyte Normal University (LNU) and Vicente Oquino, Department of Health (DOH).