Capitol to divest CFI of NGO seat

CEBU, Philippines - Pending review of the agreement on loan payment deductions from salaries of Capitol employees, the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative, Inc. will be losing its seat in the Provincial Development Council (PDC).

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale yesterday said representation of non-government organizations (NGOs) in the PDC should come from accredited NGOs and civil society organizations (CSOs).

With this, the Provincial Board (PB) asked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office to convene the accredited NGOs for them to choose from their ranks their representative to the PDC.

Magpale said that for the PDC to already convene is vital because it needs to also approve the Annual Investment Plan prior to the submission of the annual budget on or before Oct. 16.

“This was never done in the past.  Atong saad sa NGOs ug sa katawhan nga mosunod na gyud ta og unsay mandato. (Our promise to the NGOs and the people is for us to really follow) what are the processes involved,” she said.

Magpale said that for the longest time, the NGO seat in the PDC was represented by CFI, which is not even accredited with the Provincial Government.

“Kami among ipaagi gyud sa proseso, mag-election sila,” she added.

The CFI has reportedly not renewed its accreditation with the Province since 1997.

Retired judge Esperanza Garcia, CFI founding chairman, is listed as the NGOs’ representative to the PDC up to this year.

Garcia is the mother of former governor Gwen Garcia and former Cebu Third District congressman Pablo John Garcia, whom Gov. Hilario Davide III defeated in the elections last May.

The DILG earlier sent Memorandum Circular 2013-70 on the accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to local special bodies like the PDC.

The PB has accredited 406 NGOs and people’s organizations in its list of CSOs, and CFI is not among them.

The PB has urged NGOs and people’s organizations to renew their accreditation every year.

CFI recently earned the anger of Capitol officials over a paid advertisement that the Provincial Government deemed insulting and malicious.  The paid advertisement called for sobriety and the rule of law the question raised on the memorandum of agreement between the Province of Cebu and the cooperative.

There were portions, though, that did not sit well with members of the PB, which summoned CFI’s officers during one if its sessions last month.

The advertisement also prompted Davide to respond by also publishing his response with The FREEMAN and two other local dailies. (FREEMAN)