“Parang Sardinas, Walang Ulo” *

by HON. RAYMAR A. REBALDO
SP Member, Aklan

*A privilege speech delivered during the 17th Aklan SP Regular Session held on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at the SP Session Hall, Capitol Site, Kalibo, Aklan.

Mister Chairman, I rise today on a question of privilege.

The Irish-born British author Laurence Sterne said: "To have a respect for ourselves guides our morals; and to have deference for others governs our manners."

Yesterday morning, Ms. Vicky Ramos, Provincial Co-chairman of the Aklan Tourism Council and Regional Chairman of the Western Visayas Tourism Council, was heard over the airwaves in a local radio station saying: "Up to this point, sabi-sabi lang ito - - -" Persons may be misinterpreted - - -" "They have their integrity and good name to protect - - -" Baka intriga lang ito - - -"

A voice of sobriety and prudence, that was how she sounded, but only after a lot of brickbats and wrongful imputations have been thrown at one person whose only fault was that he was a good soldier – Mr. Perfecto R. Belarmino.

What is it all about Mister Chair?

When the Municipal Mayor of Kalibo wrote the airline managers on May 2, 2011, he was merely requesting photocopy on Mr. Belarmino’s incentives as basis for legislative action regarding fees or charges that may be imposed by the LGU – Kalibo on Airline Companies. But when he discussed it in public on the morning of May 12, 2011 over the airwaves in a local radio station, he was imputing something was wrong in the assignment of Mr. Perfecto Belarmino, Agricultural Technologist of the LGU-Kalibo as Veterinary Quarantine Officer at the Kalibo Airport who according to his reliable source was receiving (US) 2,500.00 dollars per International flight from airline companies. And it is sounded like Mr. Belarmino and the CIQ Team members were demanding "SOP", extorting even, from the airlines, to the detriment of our flourishing tourism industry.

He even brought this concern to the attention of the Sangguniang Bayan of Kalibo which included it in the Order of Business for the regular session in the afternoon of that same day.

Kudos, however, to the honorable members of that August body, who agreed to defer action until the airline managers have answered the Kalibo Municipal Mayor’s letter of May 12, 2011.

James, the slave of the Lord, had exhorted and warned in the New Testament:" Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak".

What really are the facts, Mister Chair, behind Mr. Belarmino’s assignment at the Kalibo Airport?

On September 13, 2007 then Secretary Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture issued Special Order No. 491, Series of 2007, DEPUTIZING Mr. Perfecto Belarmino, an Agricultural Technologist of LGU – Kalibo as Veterinary Quarantine Officer assigned at the Kalibo Airport.

As DEPUTIZED Veterinary Quarantine Inspector, Mr. Belarmino shall enforce rules and regulations pertaining to veterinary Quarantine under the supervision of the Quarantine Services, Bureau of Animal Industry and DA Regional Field Unit VI.

That order took effect immediately and will remain in force until revoked.

As the Hon. Florencio T. Miraflores, Cong.. Lone District of Aklan explained yesterday (Tuesday) morning, (May 17) at a local radio station, the CIQ or Custom, Immigration and Quarantine are national functions. The Kalibo Airport in 2007 sorely lacked the facilities and the personnel complement for an International Airport. But the rapidly growing tourism market demanded it so. This reality to have an international airport is through the effort of the Former Municipal Mayor and Congressman of Aklan, Atty. Allen S. Quimpo, Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores, Governor Carlito S. Marquez, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan headed by Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo.

There were Customs and Immigration personnel assigned at the Iloilo International Airport and the Iloilo International Seaport who were designated at the Kalibo Airport. The DA, as was its practice all over the country deputized local agriculture personnel because many of its employees were already devolved to local government units. Mr. Belarmino, the good soldier that he was, merely followed the Special Order of the DA Secretary. Mr. Belarmino is THE ONLY AKLANON AND KALIBONHON who had been given a privilege to work as Quarantine Officer in the Kalibo International Airport, Province of Aklan.

If there is a flaw in that arrangement, the issue should have been addressed to the DA central office. Do not bark at the wrong tree. It is not correct to hit Mr. Belarmino for an assignment he merely obeyed, just because the arrangement agreed upon by the authorities gave the CIQ team members at the Kalibo International Airport P1,500.00 per member per flight of an international flight, as Congressman Miraflores explained, which was also the incentive given to CIQ Team members at the NAIA, at Cebu Inter-national Airport, at Davao International Airport.

Mr. Belarmino is but a regular employee of the LGU Kalibo. As such he performed his duties well. He has no derogatory record in his long government service. Was it wrong for him to receive an incentive enjoyed by other quarantine officers, by operation of law or enforcement of agreements? Then correct the system if it is flawed! But do not destroy the innocent and ordinary employees.

Already, the Kalibo Municipal Mayor has recalled him and assigned somebody to take his place at the Kalibo International Airport. This he announced on Monday over a local radio station without any proper order to Mr. Belarmino, who the good soldier that he always is, reported to work at the Agricultural Services Division of the LGU – Kalibo, before eight o’clock in the morning of Monday, May 16, 2011. I am pretty sure that the Municipal Mayor of Kalibo has no business replacing a Veterinary Quarantine Officer deputized by the DA Secretary. While the deputization order by the Secretary of Agriculture remains operative, Mr. Belarmino is duty bound to report every time an international flight arrives.

If the situation is changed where the Municipal Mayor of Kalibo recommends the replacement of Mr. Belarmino with other personnel from the Agricultural Services Division of Local Government Unit of Kalibo and also deputized by the DA Secretary, would the new deputized Quarantine Officer refuse the incentives for services rendered of Php1,500.00 per flight? So that he may not be deemed also as an "Extortionist".

In our lives Mister Chairman, four things do not come back: the bullet once it is fired from a gun, the opportunity neglected, the time past, and the word already spoken.
As Vicky Ramos had said, "Up to this point, sabi-sai lang ito…"

But Mr. Perfecto Belarmino’s integrity and reputation has already been tarnished his character and dignity tattered, by the words so recklessly spoken.

Again, if the Municipal Mayor of Kalibo is serious in reforming this practice of giving incentives, I suggest he talk(s) to Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine National offices and restore the maligned dignity of Mr. Perfecto Belarmino.

I am reminded of the words used by a Barangay Chief Executive in describing a local chief executive "parang sardinas, walang ulo".
More so, "walang puso"! /MP