(J’ACCUSE. Association of Barangay Chairmen president Vilma Caluag presents alleged
anomalies in the City of San Fernando in a forum with Capampangan mediamen. Photo by Bong Lacson)
CLARK FREEPORT – Overpriced health coverage, questionable real property tax (RPT) distribution and signing of blank documents which may indicate unbridled corruption among others are just some of the problems that prompted City of San Fernando Liga ng Mga Barangay president Vilma Caluag to run for mayor.
Caluag made the disclosure of alleged anomalous transactions during the “Balitaan” media forum organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. at the Bale Balita here on Friday.
Caluag of Barangay Dolores said she discovered the anomalies as soon as she was elected president of the Liga and sat as a member of the city council.
She said a P103-million allocation was about to be passed in the council when she started asking for more transparency.
“Mumuna pung dili anyang lukluk ku keng sesyon mi atin lapu papalwal P103 million siyempre pu bayu ku keng sanggunian (Initially, when I sat down in our session, they were already coming out with a P103 million deal, of course I was new in the council), so I asked for more transparency,” she recalled.
Caluag said she was told that some portion of the money will be used for the restructuring of the plantilla of city hall employees, scholars, as well as for the health benefits of city hall employees.
“I did not oppose but since I asked for more transparency, I asked the names of the beneficiaries,” she said.
She claimed that she was never furnished with the names or even got any response. Over and over, she said, she was denied any explanation which prompted her to furnish copies of her letters to the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce, businessman Levy P. Laus and even to the provincial Capitol.
Health coverage
During a flag ceremony, Caluag said, the city government announced that they will be awarding P220,000 health coverage per employee.
“Since health is my forte,” she said, “I started asking around.”
She said the health provider was present at that time, so she asked her the price of the premium. “So, when I asked the health provider, she was mum and told me she can’t remember,” Caluag recalled. “But how can she not remember a standard health insurance coverage?”
Caluag said talks started going around that she was against the employees’ health coverage. “Ing linwal pung balita after that, kokontra kupu kanu keng health benefits da reng empleyadu,” she said.
“I am not against their health benefits,” she clarified. “I am only asking for more transparency.”
Caluag said when she went to the budget office to ask employees about their health care, nobody wanted to talk. “They seemed afraid,” she said.
“Milako ke pu obra (We will be fired from work),” she quoted one of them as saying when she asked for a copy of the insurance policy. But she said she got information that the premium was P20,000 for P220,000 and good only for the insured.
Caluag said as a point of comparison, she called Axa Insurance Company which is considered among the top five insurance companies in the Philippines.
The village chief said Axa only asks P5,000 for a premium bundle covering accident, death and hospitalization for P300,000 including dependents.
Caluag said if you compare that with the employees’ health coverage that is a clear P15,000 difference which when multiplied by 500 employees of the city hall will total P7.5 million overpriced.
As for the scholars, who can argue with their claim if they don’t want to furnish us with the names? she asked. “They can say 20,000 scholars but in actuality there may only be 5,000,” she said.
Blank docu
Caluag claimed many barangay captains complain that whenever they ask for fi nancial assistance for their constituents from city hall, they are made to sign several blank documents or papers.
“Baski ninu pu manyawad saup papag pirman da blangku (anybody who ask for help are made to sign blank documents),” she said.
Most of those who seek financial assistance for hospital bills amounting to P100,000 or P50,000 are given only a measly P2,000 by city hall after several weeks of coming back and forth and signing blank documents, she said.
Caluag said the RPT distribution is also questionable. She said when she manifested her complaint, the RPT allocation for Barangay Dolores was raised from P2 million to P3 million which is still highly questionable since most of the city’s financial institutions like banks, multi-national chain of restaurants, 11 subdivisions among others are all located in Dolores.
Caluag said she could have opted to live a life of luxury. “Negosyante kami, simpli, tahimik (We are business persons, simple, peaceful…) so why did I join politics?”
“It is divine intervention,” Caluag said. “Ikit ku pu ing kakulangan, ikit ku pu ing pamangailangan (I saw for myself what is wanting, I saw what is needed for the city),” Caluag said.
“Kailangan kepung pag masabalan ampong pag malasakitan nung nokarin ku bait (I need to show concern, I need to get involve in the place where I was born),” she said.
Jimmy, Angie
“Bisa ku pu lisya keng pagal, gastus, ampo pu intriga anyapin pu ginawa kung paralan peksabyan ke …(I wanted to shy away from fatigue, expenses and intrigues that is why I talked to…) Vice Mayor Jimmy T. Lazatin and Councilor Angie O. Hizon and urged them to run against the incumbent, but they declined,” she sighed.
They reasoned that it is very difficult to go against the incumbent since he has the political machinery as well as P1.7 billion funds of the city coffers at his disposal, she said.
“So nung alang maglibutad, makananu? (So, if nobody wants to stand up to the challenge, how?), she asked. Then, I am offering myself to the service of the people,” she said.
“I believe there is divine intervention. Bagitu kuman pero kailangan kung makibat king aus ning pamangailangan (…I may be a newbie, but I need to respond to the call of the times),” she said.
Meanwhile, City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin “Edsa” D. Santiago has signified his intention to appear at the Balitaan to answer Caluag’s claims.
At the sidelines of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago opening salvo at the Capitol on Monday, Santiago said he will answer Caluag’s allegations at the Balitaan.
