NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PIBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
Some well-meaning citizens are demanding from the provincial government for transparency and accounting of donations from various public and private sectors in aid of helping the “Odette” victims.
Retired Judge Suceso Arcamo in his Facebook page “Osecus Omacra,” a reverse syllabification of his name, has inquired what are the priorities or uses of the donations for.
His post has generated 81 comments; 309 shares; and 301 likes as of 2 in the afternoon on January 11, 2022.
“Unya palihug i publish pod na sa radio, local newspapers ang accounting kn pila na jod ang nadawat nga cash donations wth the corresponding names of donors ug update sa liquidation kon unsay gpalit or gdapatan in the spirit of transparency ky daghang gusto mahibaw,” Arcamo said.
(He urged the governor to please publish in the newspapers and radio the donations with their corresponding donors’ names and accounting of the funds received by Capitol since a lot of people wanted to know).
Another thing is that “Pero words of caution lang; ayaw pod butangi ng mga donations nga GI sheets nga, BUHAT PASULTIHON, or mga mga names or pictures ninyong 2 sa bise gob ky dili man na inyong money. I rest my case.”
(Arcamo has cautioned the governor not to put his name and that of vice-governor’s because that is not their money).
The warning came as the names and photos of the governor and vice-governor printed in stickers were plastered into a jug of water and gen-sets that generated a lot of adverse comments from the social media users.
He also appealed that “Kon paminawon ko nmo gob., ako unta i suggest nga dapat ipalit na ug mga G I sheets ug uban pang construction materials aron ipanghatag sa mga pobreng katawhan nga nawad an intawon ug mga atup ug nangaguba ilang balay sama sa gbuhat ni gob Gwen Garcia sa Cbu.”
(If you hear my plea, may I suggest that the donations be used to buy for GI sheets and other construction materials to be distributed to those whose houses were destroyed like what Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia has done).
“Ayaw kahadlok nga ingnon ka nga copy cat or ga awat2 ka sa Sugbo ky mao man jod nay dapat buhaton. Total mas grabe man ang kadaut sa Bohol ky sa Cebu,” the judge added.
The governor was urged to provide to media with a list of donors for publication purposes during the repacking of foodstuff at Bohol Wisdom School gym on Dec. 26, 2021. And he did mention some donors then.
But on December 31, 2021, during his weekly press briefing, he only made mention some of those donors that it may refer to Art Yap Bohol Facebook page.
And on January 7, 2022 press conference, the governor named some donors and, again, said that the said list will be uploaded on his FB page after the media asked him again about the list. In a check of his fb page on January 11, 2022, people found no listing of donors being uploaded.
And he answered that it was not Art Yap Bohol page but Barug Bohol as the official FB page for post-Odette activities of the provincial government. And indeed there were postings of the names of donors and the corresponding amounts they gave.
Probably sensing that why only Capitol being asked for publication of the list of typhoon donors, Vice-Gov. Rene Relampagos urged the media to also ask other government officials and local government units to make public the donated assistance for the typhoon victims.
The other government officials and LGUs who already received aid in kind and money from generous donors have been asked to provide information for the sake of transparency and accountability. ( with report from Rvo)