Ad Congress income and expense report demanded

PROVINCIAL CAPITOL , Pili, Camarines Sur (Dec. 8, 2011) - Lone opposition  in the Camarines Sur, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Board member Charrie Fausto Pante urged the the Provincial government during a regular session of the provincial board Monday  (Dec.5) to report on the income  and expenditures of the recently concluded  Philippine Advertising  Congress  last Nov.16 to 19, held at the capitol  complex here.

Pante likes the public to know the the income and expense figures of “special events” hosted at the facilities of the provincial government in view of the provincial treasurer ‘s failure to render reports on past so called special events.

As the presiding ofiicial of the SP, Vice Gov. Fortunato Peña had assured  the board, that Board member  Warren Señar , chairman of the SP Appropriations committee would render  the report on behalf of the Treasurer’s office in the next regular session on Dec.12.

According to Pante an estimated  P60- Million pesos  in grosscollection  from registration fees of delegates and  other congress fees were generated  in the 4-day Philippine  Advertising Congress that used the facilities of the  Cable Park beach  area of the Camarines Sur  Watersports Complex (CWC) and the Capitol  Convention Center - all in the government-owned Capitol complex.

Pante stressed she also likes to know if the provincial government entered into contract for the use of government-owned facilities after  Camarines Sur Gov.Luis Raymund Villafuerte’s successful bid a year ago for the holding of the Ad Congress  in this province.

In  a press releases released during the Ad Congress  in Nov. 17, the provincial government said  that aside from the  amenities of the CWC, two new giant air-conditioned tents were provided to the delegates and the provincial government also spent for the preparation of a 5,250 sq. meter plenary hall.  A  3,750 sq. meter exhibition hall was also built equipped with automated on-line facility for hotel and travel bookings of delegates.

It is estimated that the congress was attended by nearly 3, 000 delegates and top executives of leading TV networks, national dailies and top advertisers in the country.

In August this year, Pante also made an inquiry on the income and expenditures of the provincial government’s when it hosted the international triathlete event “Cobra Ironman 70.3” that had been held at the CWC for consecutive three years.

The provincial treasurer and the province’s tourism office released a report only in the last quarter of this year.

Last month, a special audit team sent by the Commission on Audit (COA) conducted an audit on the profit and expenses of special events hosted in facilities of the provincial government, including the CWC and the Gota Beach Resort in the Caramoan peninsula.

The COA findings are yet to be released. (SONNY SALES)