'Investigative Documentaries' interviews Leyte Gov. Carlos Petilla

Investigative Documentaries (ID): Mayroon bang permit ang Leyte Convention Center?

 

Governor Carlos Petilla (P): Actually it has been bidded out, under sa contractor. Hindi pwedeng magkaron ng project na walang building permit, so it is the responsibility of the contractor to actually secure a building permit. We will not tolerate it if they don't have any building permit. We will call their attention to get one but I have also talked to my commission administrator. According to him, it is really a must to get a building permit so it cannot proceed without any building permit.

 

ID: Can we ask for copies of the documents?

 

P: Yes, you can. We will provide you with one

 

ID: As per COA report noong 2010, laging single bidder daw po lang ang nakakakuha.

 

P: I don't think [so]. Hindi naman siguro, kasi it is published in the newspaper. Ang problema namin actually, I will be honest with you, ang problema sa gobyerno ay matagal magbayad. Matagal magbayad. Ang daming requirements na minsan, kapag sinasabi namin na-publish na namin, actually, there is only one bidder. Hindi pwede yan. That is a failure of bidding. It will have to be posted again, and rebidded again. If there is only one bidder, it is rebidded again, until such time na kung wala na talaga, negotiated na iyan

 

P: But we always encourage people. Sinasabi ko nga, if you feel that you can actually do this job, okay, please come in, because we want the best. We want choices. But if they don’t come, we cannot force them also. Kung walang gustong mag-bid at times, but I’m quite sure na in most of the projects that we have, there are multiple bidders. In fact, there are bidders that are coming from Metro Manila. For that matter, nababasa nila sa Internet because all of our projects are posted in the Internet

 

ID: Nag-fail daw po ang management to formulate a distinct guide plan and budget for 2010

 

P: Actually, let me reiterate muna. Ang COA findings are basically their opinion whether it is true or not, kaya nga mayroon tayong tinatawag na exit conference. They sit down with us and we discuss all these issues. Almost all of the issues are actually resolved, like for example, ang sinasabi nila na walang guide plan, GAD [Gender and Development] plan iyan... something gender sensitivity not known by the majority. Actually, ganito na lang. Ang hospital, by itself, is already a GAD plan because it is biased towards birthing.

 

P: 50 percent of our census in the hospital is actually about giving birth, prenatal and all those things. That, by itself, is already GAD kung titingnan mo, and it is only in the province of Leyte na mayroon kaming ganyan. 5 percent of our budget should focus towards GAD pero kung tingnan mo ang budget namin sa hospital, which is about 200 plus, majority of our patients are actually deliveries, prenatal, something to do with women. Diyan pa lang, more than 50 percent na ang nabubuhos namin, kung tutuusin so actually, that is our response to COA, and they accepted that.

 

ID: Iyong MacArthur Park beach resort, sa government na ang control pero nagkaroon ng issue?

 

P: It is not an issue actually because we are allowed to actually lease it out. Ang arrangement namin sa PTA [Philippine Tourism Authority] is basically, it has been turned over to the province of Leyte, at ang agreement namin is if we lease it out, mayroong part of the proceeds will also go to PTA. Now, at the moment, we are trying to determine kung magkano ang sa kanila, magkano ang sa amin kung tutuusin, because when it was turned over to the province of Leyte, ang sabi nga nila, “Are you going to run it?”

 

P: Actually, do you know how much MacArthur Inn was losing? Do you know? In the past 20 years? Would you like to know? It was losing at an average of 400 to 700,000 per month, under PTA. In other words, every year, they have to share in money for that to operate. When I asked that from the then President GMA, noong kinuha natin yan, at matagal na nila binigay sa akin, ang sabi nila, “Governor, are you going to run it?” Sabi ko, “Of course not. Why? Because the government should never go into business unless necessary.”

 

P: Kapag mayroong private sector na pwedeng kumuha, let them run it so sa 400 to 700,000 that they were losing, when i took over, people were thinking, “Wow, kikita na siguro ito.” No. We were still losing 400 to 700,000 a month. The only way for the hotel to improve and not lose money is if you give it to the private sector so ngayon, pina-publish natin iyan for those interested. Pero isa lang lang kondisyon ko. They have to put in 300 million pesos for the development.

 

P: And then whoever comes in, with the best offer, pero mayroon kaming mga minimum, yan ang bibigyan namin. It just so happens that LKY [Property Holdings] came in, they bidded for that, and they got it. And now, the government is no longer losing 400 to 700,000 a month, and we have a hotel.

 

ID: So government property pa rin siya?

 

P: It is still a government property. They are only leasing it. In fact, after 25 years, all development will now belong to the government. In the meantime, we are not losing 400 to 700,000 a month. While it is not completed yet, hindi pa tapos, they will be paying 250,000 a month until such time na makumpleto nila ang hotel. What am I after? I’m not after the profitability of the property. I’m after the hotel. No hotel, no tourism. Now, we have a hotel. I think you have been there as well. Nakaikot ka na. Can you imagine? If that hotel was still the old dilapidated hotel, na everytime na pumupunta dun, ang mga turista natin sinasabi, “I shall not return.” Hindi, I shall return. But now, it is actually operating. Private sector ang nag-ooperate. There is no loss to the government. We are not paying for anything. Here, we have a hotel that we want for our tourism.

 

ID: Iyong historical significance ng hotel?

 

P: The historical site is really the landing itself, not the inn. Have you ever been to Leyte? Before The Oriental [formerly MacArthur Inn] was there. Did you see the hotel? You should get a picture of the hotel. Then you assess whether I made the right decision or not. Pero pag makita mo ang old hotel, baka sabihin na lang natin, matuwa ka kung ano na ang nakatayo ngayon. In the past, it was really a dilapidated hotel.

 

ID: Bakit po napalitan ng pangalan?

 

P: Ang nagdecide naman ng pangalan is the investor. Sila ang nagbigay ng pangalan. It can be any hotel as long as the park doesn’t change. The park is still MacArthur Park.

 

ID: Can we ask for your 2010 SALN?

 

P: Actually, you can get it from your sources kasi nakuha naman ninyo ang SALN sa kung saan ninyo nakuha. I think you can ask for that also.

 

ID: From your office?

 

P: You can. It is a public document pero once i give it to you, baka sabihin ng iba bakit nyo binibigay nang basta-basta lang? I think when you get my SALN, you can also get it probably from your sources. It is a public document naman e. I just don’t want to be issuing [my] SALN to just anybody, you know. Kasi mahirap din kung lahat bibigyan ko ng SALN but it is a public document. It is there. It is submitted to the Ombudsman as far as I am concerned

 

ID: Anu-anong foundations ang mayroon ang clan ninyo?

 

P: If you have seen the birthing clinics, we are trying to promote the birthing clinics right now. That is the foundation that was created, but if you’ve also seen, there is no government funding whatsoever for that particular foundation. The reason I’m there, and the reason why that is the foundation that we are using, so that mapilitan talaga ang gobyerno na hindi magbigay. Kasi ako iyon e. Kapag nagbigay, it becomes a conflict of interest so it is sure na walang government funding.

 

ID: How about agricultural and rural development?

 

P: The same. The foundation naman, livelihood naman iyan. Again, the province of Leyte is not giving any funds to that. In fact, ang wife ko ang nagbibigay ng funds niyan every now and then kung nagkukulang ang Arado Foundation. Would you like to know what Arado Foundation is? Ang Arado Foundation is actually... nagsimula iyan sa mga welders. Pinapaalis natin ang mga tao natin papunta sa abroad pero minsan nadidismaya ako e. Sa graduation, kapag sinasabi ko, “Lahat kayo gustong maging welders?” Opo. “Lahat kayo gustong umalis?” Opo. Kapag tinanong ko, sige taas ang kamay ng lahat ng mga college graduates. Mayroong 1/3 college graduates nagiging welders. They want to go abroad and earn some money and what we are doing basically is giving them the opportunity to do this legally.

 

ID: Pero wala iyan sa SALN ninyo?

 

P: I would say that is not an asset, kung tutuusin. It is an interest. Kasi ang nakalagay, hobby and interest ang nakalagay diyan... you have any other interests and organizations. If you look at the SALN, hindi naman nakalista sa SALN sa 2009, kung ano ang mga interest money, not a business interest kung tutuusin. It is a foundation.

 

ID: Kayo ang stockholder?

 

P: Hindi lang ako. Marami iyan.

 

ID: Ang family niyo po ba mahilig talaga sa foundation?

 

P: hindi. Hindi ako mahilig sa foundation pero ang ginagawa lang natin sa foundation is that if there are programs... dito kasi, you know, first time akong pumasok sa gobyerno in 2002. Before that, I was [in] the private sector. Pagpasok ko, ang nangyayari dito, the position of any political position is temporary in nature. Because it is temporary in nature, kung mayroong laudable project na gusto kang i-continue, and it helps the poor, ang pinakamahirap dito is that kung nagpalit ng kahit sinong politiko na uupo ngayon... ang pinakamalaking problema is, “Will it be sustainable kung meron kang programa?”

 

P: Kaya ang sinasabi ko palagi is that we have to have a public-private partnership. The private sector actually assures that the program will continue. Kapag hindi natin nalagyan ng private component, puro gobyerno. Kapag nawala ang gobyerno, nawala ang mayor, nawala ang congressman, sira rin ang lahat ng project. So you know, on effort, we saw the need to help the poor. and to help the poor in a continuous basis. Hindi mag-e-end sa term ko. We created on our own initiative, on a private sector initiative, partnership with private people, to form a foundation that will carry on these projects. The last thing we want to do is at the end of anybody's term, the project also disappears. It affects a lot of people

 

ID: Where do you get funds?

 

P: Ang funds niyan is mayroon tayong mga partners diyan. Kagaya ni sister Eloisa. Madre ang founder natin. Actually, sa 2 foundations, madre ang ka-partner natin diyan, and through our own funds, pati si Sister nakakakuha din, nakakahingi din but never sa province of Leyte.

 

ID: May pending case po kayo sa Sandiganbayan dahil ang Leyte Sports Center ay wala ring building permit?

 

P: That is correct. Ang reason naman na walang building permit yan is basically we asked for an exemption from DPWH. Tapos, ang hinahabol namin is Palarong Pambansa. Alam mo naman na mayroon tayong Palarong Pambansa? So ang ginawa natin diyan…to actually fast track the renovation, it is not actually a panibagong structure e. ni-repair lang natin ang ating grandstand kung tutuusin, including re-painting, paglagay ng roofing. That is what we did with the grandstand. But eventually, we did apply for a building permit.

 

P: Actually, we asked the opinion of the DPWH, In the end, sabi nila, you have to get a permit. Kasi ang kinukuha naming permit, galing sa kanila. Pero ang DPWH naman, nagpadala ng letter sa amin, at ang sabi nila is that you can go ahead with the construction, pending the application of a building permit. And that is what we did. We still [applied] for a building permit

 

ID: How much po ang nagastos dito?

 

P: I don’t have the exact figures. But i say, it is one of the cheapest Palarong Pambansa rehabilitations. Usually, kung mayroon tayong mga Palarong Pambansa, ang ginagastos diyan is 200 million, 250 million, 175 million, for a structure, but ours, I would say, we only spent about 70 to 80 million for the entire structure.

 

ID: Nakakuha ba kayo ng sponsors?

 

P: We did not rely so much on the sponsors. Kung mayroon man tayong sponsors, ang iniisponsor nila yung pakain, TV coverage... to cover the entire Palarong Pambansa. But the sponsorship is more like Pepsi, giving Pepsi during Palarong Pambansa, giving snacks, more than anything else. Pero in terms of infrastructure, wala kang makukuhang sponsor niyan.

 

ID: Sa Office of the President?

 

P: Wala po tayong nakuha. It is all local government-funded.

 

ID: [Tungkol sa] COA report na mayroon daw tatlong proyekto na substandard...

 

P: If it is substandard, kasi kami din, nag-i-inspect din kami. You have to take note that it is not only COA that [inspects]. We also inspect kung tutuusin. If it is substandard, ang ating contractor ay hindi mababayaran. They have to correct it. Actually, marami naman, hindi naman lahat ng contractor natin perfect. Ang problema lang diyan, kung imperfect yan tapos binayaran natin. Ang ginagawa natin, kapag mayroong wala sa specs, even if COA says this is okay, pero on our end, hindi kami kuntento, pinapaulit pa rin namin iyon. Like in those cases as well…

 

ID: Iyong covered court na nakalagay, completion. Kapag completion, patapos na?

 

P: Hindi pa naman. Kasi kung titingnan mo ang pondo niyan, I think ang pondo niyan is just over a million. You cannot complete a covered court with just that amount. Ang sa amin niyan is basically, more on starting with that. Kapag sinabing completion, siguro ang ibig sabihin natin diyan is you start, from start to finish. Pero kung titingnan mo ang program of works, saka ang pondo, hindi magkatugma yan. Malaki pa ang kulang sa program, sa pondo, kaysa sa program of works.

 

ID: Kasi nakita po namin, naghuhukay pa lang.

 

P: Pero if you also... kung kayo naman ay... actually, maganda yan. Tingnan ninyo. Baka kako may ibang pondo pa diyan na nilagay na. Kasi kung ang sinasabi mo is, “Bakit completion, e naghuhukay pa lang naman?” Siguro ang magandang tanong diyan is tingnan natin, mayroon na bang ibang pondong nilagay diyan? Kasi kung makikita mo, there has never been any funds na nilagay diyan. That is the first time na nilagyan ng pondo iyan. So hindi talaga matatapos iyan. Ang magiging problema lang naman niyan siguro is that, on your own, as an investigative reporter, is that kung meron ngang 10 million na nilagay dyan, tapos dinagdagan pa ng isang milyong pang-complete. Pero if you look at the project, talagang that is the first time na napopondohan yan

 

P: It can probably finish that. I don’t know the program of works. I don’t know all the details of the projects that we have. Pero ang ginagawa namin, kapag hindi namin nakakaya, kasi hindi kaya ng pondo namin, ang ginagawa namin, sinisimulan namin, hoping that there will be funds that we can ask for. Kasi actually iyan, completion iyan. Pero actually, that came from the Office of the President. Kasi kung pondo ko lang, hindi magkakasya. Hindi namin kaya lahat. so kung hihingi kami ng pondo sa iba, nilalagay nila diyan.

 

ID: Tungkol sa COA report…regarding unfinished projects, unliquidated cash advances?

 

P: Hindi unfinished projects siguro. Kapag titingnan mo ang COA report, it is not unfinished, it is unliquidated. At ang unliquidated na yan, if you really look at the details of the report, the unliquidated is actually unqliquidated as far as assistance to the barangay is concerned. Dito kasi sa Leyte, we are unique. Would you like to know why we are unique? We are unique in a sense that kapag ang barangay meron syiang proyekto…kung meron siyang proyekto, ang barangay, sasabihin nila, “Sir, kailangan ko po ng water system.” ang ginagawa namin, we don’t create the water system for them. We ask them, “Magkano ba ang kailangan mo?” 200,000. Tapos sasabihin namin, “Ganito na lang, 50 sa iyo, 150 sa amin.” Sasabihin nila, “Sir, maganda po iyan.”

 

P: So we give them the cheque. Hindi po project ang binibigay namin, cheque. So binibigay namin yung cheque sa kanila. And then, ni-re-receive nila. Nireresibuhan kami. Ang problema ngayon, kapag binalikan namin ang kapitan, we will now have to audit them. Why is this project not finished yet? So it is actually not us na hindi naka-liquidate, hindi nakatapos. It is actually the local government. Hindi nila natatapos. Wala silang sinasubmit sa amin. Ang COA naman, sinisingil din kami. Pero ang sinasabi namin, wala sa amin ang pera. Nasa barangay ang pera because ang projects namin are actually not projects na kami ang nagpapatayo. We actually give a cheque and we have the receipts to show that.

 

P: Siguro ang sinasabi na unliquidated is not may nawawalang pera kasi alam mo, ang COA, kapag may nawawalang pera, talagang hindi matatahimik iyan. In our case, ang unliquidated namin is hindi nawawala ang pera. Hindi lang pinakita ng ating mga barangay captains kung ano ang pinaggamitan ng pera at nasaan na. You have to take note na kung ako ang nagbigay ng 150,000, tapos barangay hall ang pinapatayo nila, ang source ng pondo ng isang kapitan, hindi lang ako. Ako, si congressman, si senator so nagkahalo-halo.

 

P: Kung ang project nya is 1 million, nagbigay ako ng 150,000, ang liquidation niyan is medyo magulo. Pero walang nawalang pera on our end. It is actually given to them. All they have to do now is liquidate with us. Kami naman ay nagpapadala sa kanila ng liquidation. Kung makikita mo din, that has been the practice ever since i was a governor, 2004, we [give it to them], and then they liquidate. Pero kung makikita mo rin, if you look at the reports that we have sa COA, kung hindi iyan na-li-liquidate, lalaki at lalaki yan. Pero kung makikita mo lang, over the years, tumataas, bumababa. In other words, ang process ng liquidation takes a while, pero it is liquidated. Marami lang.

 

P: Kasi in our case, we help almost all barangays. We have 1532 barangays, lahat po iyan tinutulungan namin. Kaya ang liquidation din matagal din. Iyan ang ibig sabihin ng COA report but you can also ask them, just to verify. That is what we mean.

 

ID: Isa sa Board of Directors ng Leyte Metropolitan Water District ay kamag-anak niyo po?

 

P: It is according to their capabilities to decide. Ang isang kamag-anak siguro na andoon, is [a] doctor. I needed a doctor sa LMWD, sa board, as long as it is legal. Kapag illegal, hindi pwede. Hindi naman iyung kapatid or anything like that. It is also based on qualification. He is a doctor. Actually, ang previous diyan na naupo na hindi na nagka-interes, ayaw na niya, was also a doctor so I have to replace a doctor.

 

ID: Kaalyado niyo po ang chairman doon?

 

P: I wouldn’t say kaalyado. Some of those are actually not my...in fact, one of them is not may appointee. Naabutan ko na lang. Ni-reappoint ko na lang pero it doesn’t mean na lahat iyan is susunod sa akin. They were hired because they have the capacity to think independently. Mayroon tayong senior citizen. Mayroon tayong private sector so halo-halo lang.

 

ID: Ang isa naman po sa Board of Directors ay inyong political strategist?

 

P: I wouldn’t say he is a political strategist. He is a private sector person who has the capacity to think basically, clearly, when it comes to working in the province of Leyte, actually not in the province of Leyte, in the Leyte metro water district.

 

ID: Ano pong pinaka-role nyo sa LMWD?

 

P: Nothing else, other than to appoint. Period. Operations, I don’t have any role at all. Trying to influence the general manager, wala po akong role diyan. That is not my job. Besides, I will be honest with you, kahit meron akong role dyan, I would rather focus on other jobs. marami tayong trabaho di ba. kahit dito sa pampanga, umaabot tayo.

 

ID: [Mayroon kayong] mga constituents na walang tubig, ang reason nila is dahil daw sa politika... magkaibang partido...

 

P: Hindi naman siguro politika. I wouldn’t say it is politics. Back up na lang tayo. Would you like to know, gaano na katagal ang tubo ng water district? Did you investigate how...did you talk to the general manager? Did you know how when the original pipes [were] put in? If you...did you talk to them already? So ano ang sabi ni...

 

P: Kaya kita tinatanong, baka kako nakausap mo si Nestor Villesin (General Manager ng LMWD). He knows more water than I do. What I know is what matters. What matters is basically, I’m just curious, did you know when the pipes are put in place? Did you know how many families it was suppose to serve? Households? Nasa around 12,000...

 

P: Ngayon, in other words, tinayo iyang mga pipes na iyan in 1970s, designed for so many families only. It is now 2012. Alam mo, dito sa atin kasi, mahilig manganak ang tao kahit sa leyte so dumami ang population namin. So you have a pipe designed for families in 1970s, it is now 2012. Alam niyo po, hindi naman kailangan tayo mag-isip pa nang malalim. [Those] pipes in [the] 1970s, designed for so many families cannot accommodate the total number of families in 2012 so there is no water simply because the infrastructure was not designed for the current population, as simple as that.

 

P: Parang ilagay na lang natin noon, 5000 lang ang families, ngayon 13,000 if I’m not mistaken. There is no way that you are going to have enough water for the entire population. Ano ang paraan? Paano natin gagawin? Put up more pipes. Put up more lines kaso in 2007, the mayor said we will put up our own water district. Sabi namin, kung mag-put up tayo ng water district na sarili, then magdodoble-doble tayo. Kailangan mag-usap tayo. Ang problema, they were adamant that they [were] going to put up their own system.

 

P: So sabi namin, huwag na kayong mag-expand kasi magdodoble tayo, doble gastos. Hindi nyo mababawi iyan. Alam mo naman, kung mayroong gastos ang water district, kanino i-charge? Sa tao din. Ayokong ma-burden iyung tao unnecessarily so the pipes were not put in place. However, that was 2007. Sabi ng mayor 5 years ago, hanggang ngayon wala pa ring water system. Pumasok ang maynilad pero nung kinausap namin ang Maynilad...kasi ang akala namin magtatayo na sila. Sabi namin, “Ay salamat, at least may katulong na tayo. May kaalyansa na tayo sa tubig.” Hindi rin pala sila magtatayo. Ang ginawa nila, study lang.

 

P: So sabi ko sa general manager, “Ano ba ang plano niyo? Kasi mukhang wala nang plano ang city na magtayo.” The board decided that whether the city plans to put up their own system or not, the people in Tacloban can no longer wait for the water. and that is why tinuloy nila ang project ng infrastructure sa tubig. Bakit wala pang tubig ngayon? Sa tingin mo, bakit? Nakausap mo naman si Villesin di ba? Ano ba ang sabi nIya?

 

ID: Nagkakaroon daw sila ng problema sa pipe kaya pina-stop..

 

P: Ang sa akin naman is kung ano ang nakukuha ko sa general manager...kasi nagtatanong din ako sa kanya. Ang lumalabas dito is basically...kasi hindi naman trabaho...hindi ko naman trabaho ang tubig. I don’t go out there doing the diggings, doing the estimates. We have competent people to do that. At ang sabi nila, Gov., kasi sinisingil ko na sila e. Ang tao ng tacloban, naniningil ng tubig. Ako din, naniningil na ng tubig so sinisingil ko ang waster district. At ang sagot nila is basically, hindi sila pinapapasok sa Tacloban.

 

P: Actually, ang sabi ko sa general manager na bigyan niyo ang tubig, kung pwede by January mayroon nang lalabas na tubig, dapat malakas na ang tubig. Nasurpresa nga ako e kasi iyung gumawa ng pipe line, napakabilis, only to find out na pagdating sa Tacloban, pipigilan ka. Hindi ka pwedeng dumiretso, and that is why ni-ne-negotiate pa ngayon. We are trying to convince the powers in place na nag-de-decision dito, na kung pwede padaanin ang tubig. Bakit? Para sa taong bayan iyan, particularly in Tacloban City.

 

ID: May ibang program pa po ba on water?


 

P: Ang patubig natin is actually pwede kang mag-focus sa potable water na mag-di-dig ka lang, bomba, etc, lahat. Pero really, if we can have safe water, better. That is why kung mayroong programa ang mga water districts natin, sinusuportahan natin. Mayroong mga water district dyan na umuutang sa probinsya ng Leyte. Ang sinasabi ko, alam niyo, hindi namin trabaho ang magpautang pero kung magpapautang kami at magkakatubig ang tao, sige na nga. Okay. Kahit na wala sa priority natin iyan but we focus on the water districts kasi kapag nagbigay tayo ng water system sa mga bomba-bomba lang, hindi natin maassure ang health nila, but on the other hand, bago dumating sa kanila ang water district, baka matagal pa.

 

P: That is why tinuturuan din natin sila kung paano sila kumuha ng sariling water system nila. Mayroong iba na may mga source ng 2 km. Ang sinasabi namin, hindi lang tubo ang kailangan. Kahit konting filtration nilalagay natin so we are assisting the barangays also na wala pang tubig. Kasi marami pa tayong barangay na walang tubig sa kanila. Mahirap ang tubig sa kanila but for those na covered ng water district, bakit kami mag-iimbento ng panibago? Let the water district expand it.

 

ID: Pero mayroon pa bang mga lugar na waterless?

 

P: Marami pa. Actually, hindi lang sa Leyte. Siguro sa buong Pilipinas, marami pang waterless talaga.

 

ID: Ano pong ginagawa niyo sa mga parts na iyun

 

P: We try to assist them as much as possible. Kung pupunta tayo sa barangay, ang ginagawa nila is they are trying to look for the source. Kapag nakahanap sila ng source, pinapa-inspect natin at titingnan natin kung kakayanin natin ang pondo. In a lot of cases, nakakaya naman namin na pondohan, but there are also cases na talagang napakalayo, hindi natin nakakaya.

 

ID: Health naman po...priority program niyo? Pero sa National Nutrition Council, second ang Leyte sa pinamakataas na malnutrition cases, Jaro ang number one sa Leyte.

 

P: Ang malnutrition naman natin, okay, whether mataas or hindi, talagang tinututukan natin. In fact, I will be honest with you, hindi ko tinitignan ang statistics ng malnutrition. Ang tinitingnan natin is that “Ano ba talaga ang nakikita ko?” Alam mo, nagkaron kami ng award e, one time, sa Nutrition Council. Noong na-receive ko ang award, sabi ko, “Ano ba ang ginawa natin sa award na ito?” Bakit kami nakakuha ng award? Nalaman ko na nakuha namin ang award kasi kami ang pinakaunang nagsubmit ng data. In other words, ang data, nanggagaling din sa amin.

 

P: Sabi ko, iyung ibang probinsya? 'Yung iba, hindi namin makunan ng data e. Iyung iba, matagal dumating. In other words, nabigyan kami ng award kasi kami ang unang nagsubmit ng data. Ang data, nanggagaling din sa kino-collate namin, at sinasubmit sa kanila so siguro, ang Leyte is number one in the submission of data, and probably, to some extent, accurate. I wouldn’t say na 60 is accurate pero sabihin na lang natin na reliable.

 

P: Most of the barangays in Leyte are accessible. Ang question ko, if you go to Las Navas, Las navas is the triboundary of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar. If you go to Las Navas, kung titingnan mo, it will take you one week to get there. Now, do you think they provided the info regarding that particular town and barangay? In other words, you have to consider the fact that there are areas in the entire region na hindi pa nag-sa-submit ng data. In the absence of any data, kami ang unang nagsubmit ng data, probably kami ang na-fo-focus.

 

P: But we are not so much concerned about that. If we are the lowest in malnutrition, at least we are aware. Because now we can cope up with the programs. The last thing I want is mayroong isang remote barangay na hindi nagsubmit ng data, sa report, walang malnourished sa kanila, kasi walang data e. Walang dumating na data so walang malnourished sa kanila so hindi nabibigyan ng atensyon. Bakit? Walang nakakaalam e. So at least, sa amin, one thing i can tell you is that ang data namin is, more or less, nakukuha namin ng eksakto. With that, then we go on with our program, continuous feeding, etc. We do not compare ourselves with other provinces, because we really have doubts also about the authenticity of the data. not the authenticity, but the reliability of the data

 

ID: Anu-ano po ang health programs sa Leyte?

 

P: Hospital enhancement... that is why we are here. Because everybody wants to copy it. We don't have a high tech hospital, as i have mentioned in my talk, but kumpleto ang doctor namin. Ang mapagmamalaki ko is that while in other provinces nahihirapan silang kumuha ng doctor, kami, hindi kami nahihirapan. No doctors, No hospital. Plenty of doctors, hospital as a future.

 

P: Health... birthing. We are trying to, you know, mayroon tayong, sinabi ng DOH, bawal po manganak sa bahay. Krimen na ang manganak sa bahay but, “Do we have enough birthing facilities?” ang tanong ko. So, pumunta tayo sa gobyerno, RHUs (Rural Health Units), etc. Magbukas tayo.

 

P: Kaya kami naman, ang ginagawa namin, birthing clinics na mayroong private partnership. Para wala na si mayor, wala na si governor, wala na si congressman, tuloy pa din ang mga proyekto. So birthing clinics is actually what we are pushing through. We are working with the RHUs, but we are also working with the private sectors. Nagpapartners kami. Birthing clinics and hospitals, and also public health. Alam niyo ba na mayroon pa, marami dito ang hindi nakakakita ng doctor? Kasi kapag sinasabi nila, medical mission, politika lang iyan. Pero ang masasabi ko lang, sana makasama kayo sa isang medical mission. Doon niyo makikita na maraming constituents natin, mayroon man tayong ospital, walang pamasahe papunta sa ospital. That is why we come to them. So actually, we are trying to bring the health programs papunta sa mga barangay.

 

ID: Nag-po-provide po kayo ng mga medical equipments,, e yung timbangan sa Jaro?

 

P: Actually, mayroon tayong autonomy. Ganito iyan. Ang barangay, meron silang 20 percent, na ginagamit sa mga projects nila. They are able to decide. I mean, this is just a breather on local government. Ang barangay, mayroon silang pondo. It is up to them how they will spend their money. Ang munisipyo naman, mayroon din silang 20 percent na pwede din sa projects nila, including health. Kami naman, mayroon din. Ang level natin, pagtutulungan sa health, is halo-halo. Sinasabi ko, ang ospital, sige, sisikapin namin ang ospital. Pero pagdating naman sa timbangan, gusto naming sabihin sa mga kapitan saka sa mayor, pwede ba ang timbangan sa inyo na. Bakit? Ang ospital sa amin e. Hindi pa nga enough ang pondo namin

 

P: Alam niyo ba, dito sa buong pilipinas, 1/3 ng pondo ng governor ay napupunta sa ospital? 1/3 na agad. Kalahati ng pondo, almost half of it is pangsweldo. Pero 1/3 ospital na. Halos ang pinaglalaruan mo, maliit na lang so kung mayroon mang timbangan, kawawa nga naman ang barangay. Pero I also would also like to urge the barangays na magcounterparting tayo. Ano bang mabibigay niyo? Kung ang timbangan hindi niyo kaya, sige, pag-usapan natin. baka naman ang BP kaya niyo? Baka naman ang chaleco, kayo na? Because ang needs ng barangay is halo-halo. Marami. It is not only timbangan. So many other things, kahit training, importante din.

 

P: Timbangan is about getting the data for malnourished children. You know how we get the data for malnourished? Timbang lang natin. We do not anymore look at other aspects of malnourishment, which I think we should pero we lack the funds. That is why kung mayroong seminar, pinopondohan natin. Pero hindi lahat ng kailangan ng barangay saka munisipyo is manggagaling sa probinsya. Dapat partnership tayo.

 

ID: Gusto niyo pong maging IT park ang Leyte?

 

P: Gusto nating maging IT  destination sa Region 8. Kasi pagdating sa Region 7, mayroon tayong Cebu. Region 6, mayroon tayong Iloilo. Pagdating natin sa Mindanao, mayroon tayong Davao. So sabi namin, para hindi naman makalimutan ang Leyte, we should actually go into, get into the bandwagon, which is ngayon, the biggest employer that we have is really IT so fi-no-focus na natin yung IT.

 

ID: Iyon pong political clan na nagstart sa mga Loreto...nagiging negosyo na daw ang politika?

 

P: Naku, very sensitive ito. Lalo na dito sa Pilipinas kasi maraming political dynasty. Kumbaga, kung that is how you describe it. First of all, let us define political dynasty. In your opinion is magkakamag-anak. Simple lang naman. Nasa iba-ibang position. Number one, if there is a law against political dynasty, I’m for it. Gusto ko lang sabihin in public na alam mo, kung bawal tumakbo, then hindi tatakbo, hindi pagpipilitan ng mga tao. But political dynasty has been created not by the political families, not only by the political families. It has been created by the people themselves. I have to stress that out. Why?

 

P: Because they are the ones who put us in this position. Kumbaga, kung bakit maraming magkakamag-anak ang andiyan, e dahil pagdating sa election, sila ang binoto ng tao. Pero there are also political families, hindi ko na lang papalanganan, pero alam niyo na ito, nagkasindaliwaan din. Parang nawala sa mundo. Isa-isang nawala sa mundo. Bakit? Kasi hindi sila binoto ng tao. In other words, if there is indeed political dynasty in this country, it is because the people created [it]. Binoto ng tao. Kung bakit nawala ang ibang mga dynasty,  ito din ay dahil sa tao.

 

P: In other words, these people na magkakamag-anak, na nasa position, were voted in. Ang mga tao naman na nasira ang pamilya, nagkandaliwaan sila sa politika, was also because of the people. But if there is a law against that, then i think it is not a problem that the people will comply. but so far, there is no law against that. I don’t know if somebody in Congress is passing it on. As far as I’m concerned, okay, being in politics is a very temporary job. Pagkatapos niyan, kailangan galingan mo. Kasi pagkatapos niyan, that is the only legacy that you can actually leave behind. So again, the people actually voted. The people chose. whether you are put in there or pinaalis ka, in the end, it is the people who will decide.

 

ID: Lahat kasi tumataas ang net worth. Masasabi ba na yumayaman ang angkan niyo dahil sa politika?

 

P: Siguro, kasi kung tumataas iyan, dahil mayroong properties. buti nga yan dineclare, iyung iba, hindi na na-de-declare. Nilagay nila dun, tumaas ang SALN nila dahil you know, they chose to put in the proper value of their properties. Iyung iba siguro, meron silang ibang negosyo, ang pamilya nila na sila basically, ay tumataas ang SALN nila. Pero I don’t think it is actually increasing because of anything that they have accumulated. If you ask me, kung ako ang tatatanungin mo, ang politika is basically a, kung tutuusin ha, actually pagdating sa kampanya, pagdating sa serbisyo, kami pa kamo ang gumagastos. Kumbaga, negative pa kung tutuusin.

 

P: Ganito na lang, I will not speak for everybody. Kasi mahirap naman. I am speaking for the ano. Sinasabi ko na lang siguro is that I know of people in politics na kung hindi sila tumakbo, ang SALN nila mas malaki pa. Dahil tumakbo sila, nababawasan ang kayamanan nila, kung tutuusin.

 

P: So I think, kung tumaas man ang SALN...is because of some reasons other than nagpapakayaman. Wala po. Mahirap pong magpayaman sa gobyerno. Actually itong ginagawa namin, kung tutuusin, is a sacrifice. But you only get...not everybody is given a chance to serve. If you don't take it, baka magsisi ka, hindi mo na pwedeng sisihin ang gobyerno, binigyan ka ng pagkakataon tapos tinanggihan mo. So to us, it is actually a sacrifice to be in the government, but it is a necessary sacrifice.

 

ID: Last term niyo na po. Anong plano niyo?

 

P: Wala akong balak na kahit anong position. Depende sa tao kung anong gusto nila. Pero sa totoo lang, people are, maraming intriga kung saan ako pupunta. Pero sa totoo lang, I can live with or without politics. And if I do choose politics, it is because I feel na mayroon pa akong maitutulong, especially sa leyte. Ang sa akin e, ang gusto ko lang naman gawin, isa lang e. Alam mo, gusto kong umasenso, kung ako ay umaasenso, gusto ko hindi lang ako, pati Leyte. Bakit? Kailangan ayusin, pagandahin, kahit ang pilipinas. Bakit? Dito ako pinanganak, dito ako tatanda. Pagdating sa panahon, ayokong lumingon at sabihin na wala akong nagawa. I did not do anything. I want...when i grow old, isa lang ang kailangan ko. Una, ang misis ko, katabi ko, kahit na kulubot na ang mga kamay namin, holding hands ko pa din. Pangalawa, when i look back, masasabi kong mayroon akong nagawa bago man lang ako umalis sa mundong ito

 

ID: Nagiging negosyo na po ba ng clan niyo ang politics?

 

P: Never naging negosyo  ang politika sa pamilya namin. It [has] always been about public service and sacrifice. (END)