Dr. Giango's appointment as provincial health officer ok'd

There was one vote against eight but this did not stop the Provincial Board yesterday from confirming the regular appointment of Dr. Cristina Giango as the integrated provincial health officer.

Giango, who held the position for two years since but in an acting capacity, almost failed to get her confirmation when PB member Estrella Yapha grilled her over her alleged lapse in reporting about a questioned distribution of drugs in Pinamungajan town in May, 2005.

Yapha, a member of the opposition, took potshots at Giango's failure to report that the drugs distributed, during a medical mission of Governor Gwen Garcia at the time, were expired.

Giango explained to Yapha that she referred the matter to the committee on discipline and investigation-a body the governor created to probe erring Capitol officials and employees-but until yesterday she said nothing has come out from the issue.

But Yapha remained unconvinced and she stood pat on her decision not to affix her signature on the resolution to confirm Giango's appointment. "It means I do not endorse the resolution confirming the appointment of Dr. Giango," she said.

The objection of Yapha put Giango's appointment on the brink of rejection considering that there were only eight other PB members present at the time who were willing to vote for her.

Some observers at the session commented that the eight votes Giango got might raise a technical question over failing to meet the required majority votes from a legislative body, which has 16 voting members, excluding Vice Governor Greg Sanchez whose vote is needed only to break a tie.

All the PB members were there earlier in the session but as deliberations and debates over other separate items came one after the other, some of them left and their number gradually decreased leaving only nine to tackle Giango's confirmation.

After the vote, however, no PB member present then was able to raise the question of absolute majority, prompting the vice governor to bang his gavel to declare officially that Giango's appointment was confirmed.

The PB confirmed two other appointments without opposition. These were on Marivic Garces as head of the provincial welfare services office, and of Emme Gingoyon as provincial budget officer. - Cristina C. Birondo