Honoraria for BHWs a go; 'non-political' release urged
Over P23 million in honorarium for some 11,000 volunteer workers in Iloilo's 1,721 barangays will finally get the legislative nod.
This, as the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Vice Governor Rolex Suplico firmed up yesterday the distribution scheme and corresponding release procedures.
The Committee met with Capitol heads in a committee hearing relative to the request of Governor Niel Tupas for Supplemental Budget No. 1 and request for augmentation.
Most of the committee's time was spent on the manner of fund release and distribution as Suplico decried previous year's "highly political family affair activity."
"Politics was in the air with the public funds made to appear as personal funds. If we let this happen again, I will have a hard time convincing the board members to approve the same next year," he stressed.
At one point Social Welfare and Development Officer Nenith Pador said that as per suggestions of "many" Day Care Workers, Capitol as venue is really preferred.
Suplico refused to buy the idea though.
"We were not born yesterday," he said while laughing. "Our volunteer workers should be made to understand that they are entitled to the money they are getting and it is not cash gift from one family. We cannot tolerate that kind of activity like last year's where the distribution became a partisan and political affair. We were left on the dark as to how it was distributed. It cannot be repeated. Style 'bulok,'" Suplico said.
In the end approval was reached and the Ordinance will follow, the vice governor told The News Today (TNT) while stressing, "only if and as soon as the needed master list of beneficiaries will be submitted to the committee."
"Take your time," the vice governor told the Capitol heads. "We are approving this but we will make the master list an integral part of the Ordinance. So give us the master list then the Ordinance will follow."