CAMSUR Board Member Hits Secrecy on CWC and Gota Beach Expenditures

Pili, Camarines Sur (17 February) —A BOARD MEMBER of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) had repeatedly summoned the Provincial Treasurer and Accountant to appear before a regular session of the provincial legislators to enlighten them on the earnings and expenditures of the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC) and the Gota-Beach Resort in Caramoan Peninsula, but both officials have yet to appear before the provincial board.

Camarines Sur provincial boardmember and chairman on the Committee on Livelihood and Community Development, Charry F. Pante, said that since her request for Provincial Treasurer Letticia Alorde to render a report on earnings and expenditures of provincial government operated businesses scheduled last February 7, the provincial treasurer had yet to render a report before  the board.

Reportedly, Alorde had reasoned earlier that “they [Treasurer’s office] were not prepared with the data” on the profit and expenditures of the provincial government businesses; it has since been reset that Alorde will instead render her report on February 21.

Pante noted that since last year, the provincial treasurer had declined her invitation to render a report on both CWC and the Gota Beach Resort operations, both top tourist destinations in Camarines Sur as categorized by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Pante had decried often the fact that “the provincial government under Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has been so ‘secretive’ about the earnings on these tourist destinations.”

She added that in the past, she had also inquired from the Provincial Tourism Officer  how much revenues were drawn in the holding of extreme-sports “IRONMAN 2009 and 2010” whose foreign organizers have spent in dollars to host the international sporting event here.

But reportedly, the Provincial Tourism Officer had been mum on the profits from the said “IRONMAN” events.

Pante also pointed out that despite the province being reported by COA in 2009 as one of the most richest province in the country, and now topping in tourist arrivals by 52.90% from January to Sept. 2010 (numbering some 310,063 local and foreign tourists visiting the province), provincial government employees’ benefits remain low, basic services on health agriculture and social services remain lacking, and the malnutrition rate remains high in most districts of the province.

Pante revealed that the MOA-hired employees of the capitol only received P 4,000 in bonuses during the year-end, instead of the supposed amount of P 10,000.

Pante also alleged that the clothing allowances of the employees at the provincial government have not been given for several years.

She stressed that while the provincial government is currently earning from the operations of the CWC; the rentals of the villas and cabanas at the Watersports Complex and the Gota Beach Resort; rentals from SUTHERLAND’s operations; and other lease rentals from remaining provincial government properties in the commercial sites of Naga City; all these have yet to be reported by the provincial treasurer. (SONNY SALES).