“Walang instruction ang gobernador na kumuha ng barangay certification ang provincial government employees para makatanggap ng Christmas bonus” — Atty. Lizette Mortel

Kailangan bang kumuha ng barangay certification ang casual employees ng provincial government para mabigyan sila ng Christmas bonus? Ito ang isa sa mga katanongang kumalat kamakailan pagkatapos manalasa at maminsala ang bagyong Tisoy sa ating lalawigan.

Woman on the go. Provincial administrator Lizette Mortel brave the seas to reach other parts of our archipelagic province. (Photo by Jesus S. Casabar)

Hindi. Walang instruction ang provincial governor ni ang provincial administrator tungkol dyan. Gayonpaman, lahat ng empleyadong qualified na tumanggap ng calamity assistance ay dapat bigyan, ayon sa patakarang sya ring ina-apply sa ibang mga tao. Yan naman ang buod ng sagot ni Atty. Lizette Mortel, ang ating provincial administrator.

Kari na kamo sa Romblon! Atty. Lizette Mortel and Gov. Otik Riano — both in red, front row — invite the whole world to come and visit our beautiful and beloved province. ( Photo from Lizette Mortel)

Nagtext pala kay Atty. Lizette ang isa nyang kaibigan o kakilala kaya nya nalaman ang barangay certification issue. Ito ang forwarded message sa kanya ni Pol (di nya tunay na pangalan):

Text po sa akin: Good morning friends. Just wanted to bring to ur attention the following:

1. Romblon province declared a state of calamity. As such it is releasing around 50 Million pesos in aid for those affected by Tisoy. 5k for those with totally damaged houses, 2.5k for those with partially damaged houses.

2. Few days after Tisoy, all barangays had already submitted a list of totally and partially damaged houses in their jurisdiction.

3. Yesterday, we learned that Job Order/Casual employees of the Provincial Government were requesting for certifications from their barangay captains that their houses were partially damaged. Even if this was not the case. Even if they are not on the list originally submitted to MDRRMO, PDRRMO, OCD. Because they received instructions from their bosses at the Capitol to secure said certifications para mabigyan sila ng Christmas “bonus” na 2,500 pesos. So kahit hindi naman nasira bahay nila, they are asking the captains to issue false certifications so that they can get money from calamity fund.

Madam Auring moment. Ang hula ko, kuha ang letratong ito sa Japan nung nag-attend sya doon kamakailan ng isang social-cum-family occasion kasama ang kanyang ina. (Photo from Lizette Mortel)

Ito naman ang sagot ng ating maganda at masipag na provincial administrator sa kanyang text mate. Text message to text message po ito. Gaya nung mensahe ni Pol, hinati-hati natin into paragraphs para madali basahin:

Pol, this is my reply to your forwarded email.

№1. True. Province declared a state of calamity and will be releasing 2500 and 5k to those affected.

№2. What we have are certifications from MDRRMC signed by MDRRMO and Mayor submitted to PDRRMO certifying those qualified for the 2500 and 5k which we are processing right now.

№3. We have looked into this allegation and there was NO INSTRUCTION from the Governor, his office or our office, written or verbal, to secure a certification from Barangay “para mabigyan sila ng Christmas bonus” (copied from the forwarded message as what other people claim). But employees who will qualify for the assistance should be given one, still subject to the same requirements for release.

I hope that this will put an end to this issue and thank you Pol for informing us.

Christmas party of the Office of the Governor. Atty. Lizette with other provincial government officers. (Photo by Ronald Madrona Geronimo)

Paano ba nagsimula ang barangay certification cum Christmas bonus issue na ito? At sino ang may-akda ng forwarded text message? Sa tingin ko, hindi naman siguro si Mylene Otis ang pinagmulan ng isyung ito. Posibleng nagkaroon lang ng miscommunication somewhere along the way at na-mix up yong calamity fund at Christmas bonus. Gayonpaman, tiyak ko na si Mylene yong pinagmulan nung forwarded message via celfon pagkat ito ay very slightly modified version lamang nung post nya sa Facebook group Romblon Politics. Tingnan nyo lang o:

Heto pa ang kahawig ring post ng dakilang mandirigma ng Tropang Alolong (bansag ng mga katunggali sa keyboard warriors ng Liberal Party Romblon chapter na pinamumunoan ni Dr. Lolong Firmalo). This time sa FB group Romblon Insider naman naisulat:

Ayan. Natunton na ang may-akda ng forwarded text message. At nagsalita na rin ang Kapitolyo. Harinawang nalinawan kayo sa isyung ito ng barangay certification. Uulitin ko po ang pahayag ni Atty. Lizette — walang instruction na ipinalabas ang gobernador ni ang administrador ng ating lalawigan na kumuha ang mga empleyado ng barangay certification para makatanggap ng Christmas bonus.

Sa pagtatapos, binabati ko kayong lahat — ke kakampi, ke kalaban o ke di kaano-ano — ng Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon. Nawa’y pagpapalain kayo ng Poong Maykapal sampo ng inyong mga mahal sa buhay ngayong mga araw at magpakailanman.

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