Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

P500.000 Comfort Room

I felt throwing water last Monday afternoon. I stopped in front of the toilet at Milagrosa cemetery, Estancia, Kalibo thinking to urinate in the toilet. But I was very unlucky. The toilet the DPWH constructed at a cost of P500,000 was tightly closed.
According to the people around, the toilet has been closed for about one year now.
To comfort myself and to fulfill my purpose, I went around the tiny building and urinated at the back. I felt nobody saw me. As I viewed the P500,000 toilet, it is still expensive to pay even P200,000 for its construction.
What shall the DPWH do with the tiny toilet? Better demolish it rather than let it stay and remains a monument of corruption. Anyway, no local government official is appreciative of its construction. The Barangay chairman has rejected it. It is situated on a private land. How about demolishing that toilet to erase corruption from public eye? However, be sure to reimburse public money used in its construction.
Terminal Fee at Caticlan Jetty Port Panay News, in its January 4, 2008 issue, has put three things over Mr. Niven M. Maquirang, Port Administrator of Caticlan Jetty Port. Here are the allegation as published in Panay news and the responses of Mr. Maquirang.
Panay News allegation:
1. That visitors and tourists were shocked at the P30 increase in the terminal fee collected by the Provincial Government at the Caticlan Jetty Port (from P20 to P50).
Maquirang’s response:
For Boracay visitors and tourists who routinely pay $50 to $300 dollars (dollars, dear, not pesos) for a hotel room per day, the small, petty, minimal, negligible P30 cannot possibly be shocking.
If a small plate of Kangkong a la Mode (strips of kangkong friend in bagoong) priced at P100 can’t shock a Boracay tourist, will a P30 additional expenditure over a P3,000 plane ticket from Manila, send any quiver in his spine?
Panay News allegation:
2. That the increase was made without public hearing and without prior notice to the public.
Maquirang’s response:
The Caticlan Jetty Port and Terminal Administrative Code of the Province of Aklan enacted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in March 2002 actually provided for a P40 terminal fee for 2002 – 2003 to be gradually increased to P45 for 2004 – 2005, and P50 for 2006 – 2007.
The Province, under Governor Florencio T. Miraflores however, decided to start with only P20, which was never increased during the last five years.
The Administrative Code, therefore, was enacted after due process, public hearing, and all. And increase/increases had been a long–time coming.
And about the public notice: thirty days before implementation, Provincial Treasurer Evan Timtiman had signed a formal notice on the terminal fee increase which copies were posted conspicuously in public places.
Panay News allegation:
3. That the increase of the jetty port terminal fee is not properly accounted for and that it goes to the ugly pockets of a big provincial official.
Maquirang’s response:
May we refer you to the Commission on Audit who, with your allegations, you have blatantly accused of not doing their job. /MP