Coñejos: Gov. Tan is just pressuring us to approve the budget

By GINA DEAN-RAGUDO, Samar News.com
July 30, 2010

CALBAYOG CITY  –  An pinakaworst scenario, until September na la makakapasuweldo an probinsya. Yana 2010, an employment agency nga kapitolyo tubtub nala September. Paglampas hiton nga bulan, di na ako maaram kon diin makakakuha han PS. Meaning, waray na kamo hiton suweldo because of the 5 board members nga ginmamanduan han mas dako pa ba nga posisyon?! I don’t know kon mas dako pa iya position yana! These were the peculiar statements of Gov. Sharee Ann Tan during her dialogue with the CDH (Calbayog District Hospital) employees on Sunday.

Board Member Charlie Coñejos belied Gov. Tan’s assessment that the province stands merely as an employment agency and could no longer provide and give development projects for the people due to non-approval of 2010 annual budget.

He clarified that the 2008 reenacted budget amounting to P600.8 Million contains development projects for the province that were actually utilized by former governor Milagrosa Tan.

Nevertheless, he confirmed that the 25% salary increase of the employees have been integrated in the proposed 2010 budget.

The ACES (Alliance of Concerned Employees of Samar) was motivated to participate last week’s regular session as they wanted to witness how the budget would be deliberated and their eagerness to hear its approval.

With respect to the present financial status of the province that it could only provide salaries to its employees until September this year, Coñejos exclaimed that the younger Tan was just pressuring them to pursue the immediate passage of the budget without scrutinizing it.

Reliable source also reacted by saying that the governor could not defer the release of salaries and wages intended for personnel services due to non-approval of the budget. He said that it has allocation regardless of the financial condition of the province.

The governor should adhere to the mandates of the law by passing a new budget under her administration in accordance with the priority concerns of the province from collective recommendations of every department agency such as agriculture, social services, health, education and others, source said.

“Kinalsada man la it nga iya argumento. If she really wants good governance, she should follow the legal and proper way of submitting the budget. Ayaw hiya patol hiton mga sumat ira alipores kay pagmalakakawat la liwat it mga tuyo hiton”, a capitol employee reacted to Tan’s statement.

Experiences from the past administration have been noted that while the budget of all departments was being squandered by the office of the governor, no actual or accurate deliveries were provided and realized. Citing the P104 Million worth of purchases decided by the BAC, negotiated within the TRO period and decided by RTC Branch 31 for restitution; until now no repayment took place yet the former governor is enjoying a new seat as member of the House of Representatives waiting for the resolution of her appeal on citizenship issue.