There would no longer be a need for the Freedom of Information Bill to become a law if Media men in government agencies do their job of disseminating information rather than collaborate with the crooks in hiding anomalies from the public eye.
Iligan is now rocked by the discovery of young but daring Broadcaster Alberto Loyola that some Media men in Iligan are under the employ of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) apparently paid considerably high rates of pay for doing nothing.
Late in November 2009, Loyola discovered that the Sangguniang Panlungsod had a budget for various services amounting to an aggregate sum of P40 million. To him it was enormous considering that the budget for medicines in the City Hospital was only P6 million. He started asking why the situation came about and how was the money spent.
Loyola asked the Vice Mayor why the budget for services was that big and how it was spent but he was referred to the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The latter replied that the preparation of the budget was done by the Mayor and that the SP’s job was just to pass the Appropriations Ordinance.
Despite the obvious buck-passing that Loyola was subjected to, he asked the Mayor why the SP needed P40 million for that services. The latter said that the amount was allocated for the SP Committees because under his policy of power-sharing Councilors would need funds for the expenditures of the Committees. He said, however, that the funds must be spent prudently.
The broadcaster asked one of the Councilors how he spent his budget. The latter replied that it was used for expenses of his committee such as food served during hearings. Loyola was not satisfied with what he thought was a flimsy explanation. He asked an assistant in the City Accountant’s Office how the P40 million for services was spent and he was told it was exhausted in paying wages of casual employees. Hence, he asked in his Radio program, all the Councilors to reveal the names, positions and rates of their casuals but he was met with indifference.
Finally, he called one of the councilors a liar (butboton). The councilor, irked at Loyola’s remarks, attacked the latter while he was on board as Anchor of RJ Patrol, a public affairs program of AM Radio Station DXRJ. He threw punches at the broadcaster and attempted to choke the latter. Luckily, listeners hearing the commotion broadcast on their radio sets, came and stopped the violent attack on the broadcaster.
Though Loyola filed a case in court against the Councilor, he was surprised to hear only very few Media men sympathizing with him.
Since, the members of the SP appeared unwilling to reveal the names, positions and rates of their casuals, Loyola filed a case of Mandamus before the Court against the members of the SP, the City Treasurer and the Head of the City Human Resource Office. Shortly, after the May 10 elections, the City Human Resource Officer submitted to the Court copies of the Job Orders of the SP casuals. The City Treasurer also manifested before the Court that she will submit to the Court copies of the documents pertaining to the wages of the SP Casuals.
Two weeks ago, the documents submitted by the City Human Resource Officer to the Court were turned over to Broadcaster Loyola. Albert found the reason why very few media men sympathized with him. Some of them had job orders and receiving wages as high as P585 per day.
Now, in retrospect, Albert Loyola could not have suffered following the long and winding road towards knowing who the casual employees of the SP were. Those media men in the employ of the SP should have clarified the questions asked. If the hiring and appointment of casuals are necessary for the best interest of public service, why was Albert so scornfully treated?
As of this writing Albert is still sorting the voluminous bundles of Job Orders of SP Casuals. It is not yet clear whether those media men with Job Orders were really working or were simply hired on 15-30 basis – coming to CT Hall only to collect wages on the 15th and 30th day of the month – in order to keep silent and hide the truth from the public?
Already, a reporter of GMA 7 was heard to have cried foul. His name appeared on one of the Job Orders but he was not employed and he did not receive wages. Who collected the money? If this reporter is a ghost employee as he seemed to be one, then how many more ghosts are or were employed by the SP?
A string of questions are still following. But why are the media men in the SP Payroll very silent. If they are working as PR men of SP members why do they pretend to be part of the mainstream media? In fact, Philip Ken Jaudian whose name appears on one of the Job Orders prides himself as the President of Iligan Tri-Media Association (ITMAI). Does he still deserve be called a media man? Aside from Jaudian, who are the others in the so-called Iligan SP Payola?
Malindang Tribune through the Manggagawang Media Ng Mindanao Reportorial Team will follow this story to the end.(Frank Dosdos, Mangagawang Media Ng Mindanao-VP for Internal Affairs)
Iligan is now rocked by the discovery of young but daring Broadcaster Alberto Loyola that some Media men in Iligan are under the employ of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) apparently paid considerably high rates of pay for doing nothing.
Late in November 2009, Loyola discovered that the Sangguniang Panlungsod had a budget for various services amounting to an aggregate sum of P40 million. To him it was enormous considering that the budget for medicines in the City Hospital was only P6 million. He started asking why the situation came about and how was the money spent.
Loyola asked the Vice Mayor why the budget for services was that big and how it was spent but he was referred to the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The latter replied that the preparation of the budget was done by the Mayor and that the SP’s job was just to pass the Appropriations Ordinance.
Despite the obvious buck-passing that Loyola was subjected to, he asked the Mayor why the SP needed P40 million for that services. The latter said that the amount was allocated for the SP Committees because under his policy of power-sharing Councilors would need funds for the expenditures of the Committees. He said, however, that the funds must be spent prudently.
The broadcaster asked one of the Councilors how he spent his budget. The latter replied that it was used for expenses of his committee such as food served during hearings. Loyola was not satisfied with what he thought was a flimsy explanation. He asked an assistant in the City Accountant’s Office how the P40 million for services was spent and he was told it was exhausted in paying wages of casual employees. Hence, he asked in his Radio program, all the Councilors to reveal the names, positions and rates of their casuals but he was met with indifference.
Finally, he called one of the councilors a liar (butboton). The councilor, irked at Loyola’s remarks, attacked the latter while he was on board as Anchor of RJ Patrol, a public affairs program of AM Radio Station DXRJ. He threw punches at the broadcaster and attempted to choke the latter. Luckily, listeners hearing the commotion broadcast on their radio sets, came and stopped the violent attack on the broadcaster.
Though Loyola filed a case in court against the Councilor, he was surprised to hear only very few Media men sympathizing with him.
Since, the members of the SP appeared unwilling to reveal the names, positions and rates of their casuals, Loyola filed a case of Mandamus before the Court against the members of the SP, the City Treasurer and the Head of the City Human Resource Office. Shortly, after the May 10 elections, the City Human Resource Officer submitted to the Court copies of the Job Orders of the SP casuals. The City Treasurer also manifested before the Court that she will submit to the Court copies of the documents pertaining to the wages of the SP Casuals.
Two weeks ago, the documents submitted by the City Human Resource Officer to the Court were turned over to Broadcaster Loyola. Albert found the reason why very few media men sympathized with him. Some of them had job orders and receiving wages as high as P585 per day.
Now, in retrospect, Albert Loyola could not have suffered following the long and winding road towards knowing who the casual employees of the SP were. Those media men in the employ of the SP should have clarified the questions asked. If the hiring and appointment of casuals are necessary for the best interest of public service, why was Albert so scornfully treated?
As of this writing Albert is still sorting the voluminous bundles of Job Orders of SP Casuals. It is not yet clear whether those media men with Job Orders were really working or were simply hired on 15-30 basis – coming to CT Hall only to collect wages on the 15th and 30th day of the month – in order to keep silent and hide the truth from the public?
Already, a reporter of GMA 7 was heard to have cried foul. His name appeared on one of the Job Orders but he was not employed and he did not receive wages. Who collected the money? If this reporter is a ghost employee as he seemed to be one, then how many more ghosts are or were employed by the SP?
A string of questions are still following. But why are the media men in the SP Payroll very silent. If they are working as PR men of SP members why do they pretend to be part of the mainstream media? In fact, Philip Ken Jaudian whose name appears on one of the Job Orders prides himself as the President of Iligan Tri-Media Association (ITMAI). Does he still deserve be called a media man? Aside from Jaudian, who are the others in the so-called Iligan SP Payola?
Malindang Tribune through the Manggagawang Media Ng Mindanao Reportorial Team will follow this story to the end.(Frank Dosdos, Mangagawang Media Ng Mindanao-VP for Internal Affairs)
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