CDO hurts public service in Mountain Province

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

by March Fianza

On the road to Lang-ay in Bontoc, Art Alladiw of Inter Aksyon kept on sending text messages about the Katagoan caravan that was launched as part of the Lang-ay festival on April 24, 2015 to raise funds for dialysis patients who trace their roots to Mountain Province.

The caravan started at 7 AM passing the towns of Sabangan, Bauko, Tadian, Sagada and Bontoc before proceeding to the eastern town of Barlig.

“Katagoan” literally means to “survive or support life”. Art said, the Katagoan Caravan raised almost P400,000 from support tickets sold through the mayors of the various towns of this province in coordination with Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog. Of the amount raised, some P70,000.00 was pledged by those living or working outside the country who trace their ancestry in Mountain Province.

Around 66 dialysis patients will benefit from the funds. Gov. Leonard Mayaen said that last year, two dialysis machines were opened at the Bontoc General Hospital to cater to the needs of patients who no longer have to travel to Baguio for treatment.

Lawyer Kissack Gabaen who joined the Caravan For A Cause with his martial artists said, treatment for dialysis patients should be supported through collective efforts. Apparently, Gabaen knows the real situation because he lost his wife last year due to kidney illness.

In Bontoc, Mountain Province, newsmen were told that the Cease and Desist Order issued on April 25, 2013 by Dr. Maria

Serena I. Diokno, Chair of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, baffled other provincial and local government officials because in the first place it was NHCP that gave its approval to the project a year earlier on March 23, 2012.

The NHCP performed a somersault and a flip-flop. Governor Leonard G. Mayaen said, “NHCP went against itself when it issued the CDO.”Not only did the unexpected issuance of the CDO suspend impending reconstruction of the half front portion of the old and dilapidated provincial capitol building of Mountain Province, it has effectively prolonged the agony of government workers and their clients here, causing unnecessary injury to the smooth delivery of public service.

The NHCP hinged its CDO on the “inspection” of a technical group that visited Bontoc 15 days earlier before the CDO was issued. The team’s report apparently talked about an unauthorized demolition of the original brickwall foundation of the building.

But if one goes to examine for himself the demolished facade of the building, you will not find bricks but cement that was designed to look like bricks by masons and painters hired by then Governor Alfredo “Binky” Lamen Jr. to repair the dilapidated portions of the antique building during his term in 1989. 

The NHCP said the capitol has not been formally declared as a heritage and cultural site, but Section 5 of RA 10066 considers all structures more than 50 years old as Important Cultural Property. Gov. Mayaen agrees with the NHCP on Sec. 5 of RA1006.

The front portion of the old two-storey wooden capitol structure was built by the Americans sometime in 1907 while the back portion was built sometime around 1935-1940. But there is no longer a 50-year old or more capitol building of Mountain Province to speak of because repairs and constructions have altered the original form of the building.

Mayaen cited that in 1989 onwards, the brick columns were changed into concrete and were finished with brick-like designs; the back of the capitol building was demolished in 2007 paving for the construction of two new four-floor concrete buildings; the floors, walls and ceilings of the old building were replaced with concrete, marble or new material.

Still, the CDO came which according to Diokno, the suspension on the renovation works will be lifted “only upon the written authority of this Commission”.

Effectively, provincial employees now have to suffer for a longer period as important frontline service offices had to move and exchange rooms with other offices in order to squeeze in more government workers. For example, the tourism and provincial administrator’s office share a room, the Public Information Office shares with the Social Welfare Office, while the PSWDO shares with security services office since half of the front of the capitol building was demolished in April of 2013.

Talking to old friends in Bontoc, I was told that people in MP know, including the petitioners, that rain leaks through many parts of the roof, and that explains the presence of a water pails in the offices.

The renovation project was tied to the past administration’s honest assessment of the true sad state of the old building that it is a fire hazard and the wooden second floor creeks even when stepped on by a medium built individual. Vibration in the building can be felt when vehicles pass the road and the grounds as well as the second floor level elevation are one meter lower than the floor levels of the newly constructed buildings at the back.

All over the country, LGUs are constructing bigger office buildings to cope with an increasing population of government workers. But here is another honest assessment of the true sad state of some people - they petition agencies without providing alternative solutions, but for the sake that important projects are suspended. Selfish move or crab mentality?