CFI print ad upsets PB

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Board was disturbed by the paid advertisement of the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative calling for sobriety and the rule of law the question raised on the memorandum of agreement between the Province of Cebu and the cooperative.

Board Member Grecilda Sanchez told the body during their regular session yesterday that the publication was addressed to PB.

“There seems to be miscommunication,” Sanchez said.

In a two-page publication, Sanchez cited the portion of which CFI appeals the provincial officials.

The CFI said that MOA on salary deduction with the Province of Cebu has been, by and large, mutually beneficial and satisfactory to both the Capitol employees and the cooperative.

“Otherwise, it would not have lasted and endured for the last twenty-six (26) years, throughout the administration of six (6) Governors of various political persuasions and after eight (8) provincial election, without having been questioned, much less, disturbed by any provincial official at anytime and for any reason. Only NOW-shortly before and after an election! How strange!,” the ad said

“It is our hope and that our thousands of members that our Honorable Provincial Officials can deal with this issue on salary deduction, in all sobriety and objectivity, devoid of any partisan political considerations, in all fairness and justice, and most of all, in faithful and decent observance of the Rule of Law,” it added.

Sanchez moved that CFI directors shall be invited on their next PB session to shed light on the issue and to answer questions from the body.

PB Member Raul Alcoseba supported the move of Sanchez as they also want to have clear picture about the MOA.

But Alcoseba already opined that the MOA is disadvantageous to the province knowing that Capitol staff are being used to prepare the payroll of those employees with loans to the CFI.

“Gihimo lang tang collecting arm sa CFI,” Alcoseba said.

PB Member Thadeo Ouano asked that all members are provided with the copy of the MOA before their next session.  (FREEMAN)