Treñas leads O-Plan Red Plate drive as 'agents' on watch
O-Plan Red Plate, the strengthened anti-graft program of the Office of the Ombudsman is all-systems go this long weekend and the last stretch of the Lenten Season.
Aimed at curbing the gnawing problem on mis-use of government vehicles and financial resources, the campaign got a major boost from Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
While a tight watch was ordered and sought on government “red plate” vehicles, yet another side of the campaign was the proper use of said red plates.
The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas here in Iloilo was happy to announced that Mayor Treñas immediately committed to do away with the special car plates.
Common to elected officials in Iloilo and elsewhere is the use of these special plates in government-issued cars, one of which belongs to Treñas bearing “Mayor” car plate.
“We are happy that Mayor Treñas will be our example to all other government officials in Iloilo. This is how we will make O-Plan Red Plate work – by the support of the local officials themselves,” said Evangeline Nuñal, Senior Associate Graft Investigator of the Ombudsman here.
Meantime, with the warning out in the past week, “agents” in member government agencies and private partners alongside civilian tipsters will be form part of the monitoring team of said anti-graft body.
No less than Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol has since stressed and called for unity in the drive saying such is the “ultimate weapon against corruption.”
Apostol rallied anew for support while appealing to private partners not to get tired in helping the Ombudsman.
“If we are united, this will have a multiplier effect... corruption can be part of history so this appeal for efforts and funds on social responsibility to anti-corruption efforts...please let us make a difference in 2009. Our aim is to have 100% air-tight cases against erring officials....to our non-government organizations, there is an urgent need to rechannel your efforts,” Apostol then said. “No matter how good the system is, it is us eventually who makes the difference. We will continue. Wala nang atrasan ito.”
The O-Plan Red Plate scored a significant drop from the 158 in 2007 down to 21 last year. And the complaints all acted by the Ombudsman here were sourced from text tips.
“Kaya natin ito sa Visayas....if we all work together, kakayanin,” Apostol added.
An inter-agency task force was created with the move explained as a priority of Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierez.
"Oplan Red Plate" aims to ensure that government vehicles are being used prudently, judiciously and efficiently, so as not to produce wastage in the government resources.
With the Ombudsman in the Task Force are representatives of other collaborating agencies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Gutierrez' order underscored President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Administrative Order No. 239 signed last September prohibiting all government agencies and employees from using government vehicles for purposes other than official business.