Former Gov. Lerias confirms having received fertilizer fund

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
December 15, 2008

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  Former Gov. Rosette Lerias spoke over radio station DYDM on Friday and acknowledged having received the now controversial fertilizer fund for the province of Southern Leyte.

Around past two o’clock in the afternoon of December 12, the former Governor told anchorman Jade Nombrado that the fund was listed in her name being the chief executive then but the assistance really benefited the various farmers of the province.

She, however, clarified getting only P 3,260,000 out of the allocated amount of P 5,000,000 adding that this was before the election of 2004.

“The purchase request and the purchase order were paid after the elections,” Lerias said, stressing that the order was made direct to Philphos.

She said that some agriculture officials were with her when the fertilizers were distributed to farmers.

As a result of the fertilizer assistance the province rose to hit the number one spot in rice production per hectare nationwide from 2004 to 2007, Lerias said, citing reports from the regional office of the Department of Agriculture, where the province yielded 7 tons per hectare on average and got a star mark for this performance.

She said she had voluntarily submitted pertinent information on the fertilizer fund use in the province to the Senate, the Lower House, and the Bishops through the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for them to be appraised on how it was utilized.