Jaraula to hike MOOE to P676.63M in 2009; Local opposition fears its for 2010 Election preparations

November 30, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

Local opposition leaders voiced fears that the increase in the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) in the 2009 Annual Budget Ordinance to P676.63 million next year would be used by the PaDayon Pilipino pro-administration city officials in the 2010 Elections.

This particularly as they pointed out that the P1.4 billion 2009 Proposed Annual Budget Ordinance is pushing for an increase in the MOOE with focus on budgetary items that are geared towards mobility, telecommunications and advertising which they believe are primary considerations in any electoral campaign drive.

The budget for Gasoline, Oil and Lubricants alone is being pushed to increase from the P20.2 million in 2008 to the proposed P32.9 million in 2009 while Telephone Expenses in 2008 is being estimated to be only around P3.6 million is now being proposed to increase to P5.1 million or P3.7 million for landline and P1.4 million for mobile phones.

Advertising Expense is also being proposed to increase two-fold that is from only P.9 million in 2008 to P1.8 million in 2009.

Opposition city councilors Roger Abaday and Teodulfo Lao as well as Barangay Gusa chairperson Enrico Salcedo disclosed that it has been the practice of PaDayon Pilipino titular head former city mayor now vice-mayor Vicente Emano to use the City Hall resources like that of the funds for the MOOE to bankroll their PaDayon Pilipino candidates in every elections.

They said the usage of the City Hall resources would range from the simple office supplies for campaign paraphernalia to the fuel supplies for City Hall-owned vehicles to the so-called “trainings and barangay consultations” to even buying off the media through the purchase of print and broadcast advertising among others.

“Bantayonon kini kaayo (This really needs a lot of vigilance)… I know because I was formerly with the party and I saw what Emano did during elections,” Salcedo said.

He added that former three-term congressman now sitting city mayor Constantino Jaraula is a PaDayon Pilipino leader who cannot say no to Emano’s demands.

Abaday and Lao said they are now double-checking each budgetary item listed under the MOOE, however, both admitted that their efforts might just come to nothing considering that they are outnumbered by the PaDayon Pilipino-led City Council.

Abaday, Lao and Salcedo are formerly part of Emano’s PaDayon Pilipino famous “Magic 10” or the 10 barangay chairpersons who moved for Emano’s rise into power here in Cagayan de Oro just months after the latter’s ouster as governor of the Province of Misamis Oriental .

Abaday formerly served as three-term barangay chairperson of Kauswagan while Lao also served for three terms as barangay chairperson of Lapasan.

City Councilors Ramon Tabor and Dante Pajo, former opposition leaders who are now with the PaDayon Pilipino political party, defended Emano and Jaraula and the MOOE increase for 2009.

However, both confessed that they could not stop the local opposition from suspecting that the MOOE budget will be used for the 2010 elections.

A PaDayon Pilipino leader who requested anonymity for personal and legal reasons defended their saying that the opposition would also use the same MOOE and other funds to bankroll their move into power themselves.

“Kung sila naa sa gahum ila man sab kini gamiton nga budget,” he said.

The budget items above does not include the earlier reported move to increase in Fiscal Year 2009 the audit-free Confidential Expenses and Intelligence/Anti-Insurgency Expense of P18 million in 2008 to P25.5 million in 2009.

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