Transparency and accountability

Did the Cebu City Government put up a system on how to accept donations? Why did some donations not pass through the Office of the Mayor? Were these covered by deeds of acceptance?

In government service, we always hear about transparency and accountability of government officials and employees. Transparency ensures that information is available and can be used to measure the authorities’ performance and to guard against any possible misuse of power in that sense. Transparency serves to achieve accountability which means that authorities can be held responsible for the action.

To achieve transparency, an organization must provide information about its activities and governance to stakeholders that is accurate, complete and made available in a timely way. Transparency enables accountability. The essence of accountability is not about punishing mistakes. It’s about giving everyone the opportunity to set goals and find success in a transparent way and with support.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, we have been hearing about donations coming in from the private sector. Like donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), face masks and other equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. There were donations for the construction of quarantine facilities at the Sacred Heart School property, Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area, the International Eucharistic Convention (IEC) center and Project Noah at the South Properties (SRP).

But until now, we haven’t heard about the list of donors and sponsors for the projects and the proper accounting of the donations from people who were in charge of the projects. When I discussed this issue in my radio program over dySS, former Cebu City councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, who is the overseer of “Project Noah,” reacted through text messages.

When I asked for the list of sponsors and the proper accounting and pertinent documents, Pesquera said she cannot provide me the information because some donors refused to divulge their identities in public and some donations were channeled directly to the City Government. Pesquera said, “We are accountable to our sponsors and we submitted the summary of expenses and receipts directly to them. It’s better you go directly to the sponsors. It is up to them to provide the documents you want.”

She then invited me to visit the site of the “Project Noah” and she said she will give me a tour and show the documents. Pesquera may be inconsistent here. While saying that their sponsors refused to divulge their identities in public but, if I will accept her invitation, she can show me the documents?

I’ve learned that the Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Foundation (MSYF) donated P2.5 million; SM, P3 million; Bigfoot, P2.5 million; and Beautiful Cebu Movement, P2.5 million. Where’s the money now and how was it spent? Who received the donations? Labella, the Office of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Dino or Pesquera?

I would like to remind Pesquera, who is a certified public accountant-lawyer, of Administrative Order (AO) 27 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last March 31, “Establishing a framework for the acceptance, management, distribution and delivery of all medicines, medical equipment and supplies and other health products donated to the National Government or the Department of Health for addressing the Covid 19 situation.”

Though this AO was addressed to the National Government, especially the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) which will receive and issue official receipts to the donors, this will also serve as guidelines for local government units and other government instrumentalities.

Did the Cebu City Government put up a system on how to accept donations? Why did some donations reportedly not pass through the Office of the Mayor? Were these covered by deeds of acceptance? Were solicitations centralized from the mayor’s office, or was any Tom, Dick and Harry allowed to solicit on their own and then refuse to render proper accounting for what they received?

Last June 15, when President Duterte faced the nation through his radio and TV address, he reminded government officials about donations. The President said, “All donations from private sector are considered public funds and should be properly accounted for.” You see?