Apo Is. workers without salaries since January

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Around 55 staff workers and members of the Bantay Dagat (sea wardens) of the Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape in Dauin, Negros Oriental have not received about seven months of wages since January this year.

Apo Island, an internationally renowned dive destination off Dauin town, is popular for its community-based coastal resources management project and is estimated to earn around P1-million a month from various fees.

Charlie Fabre, chief of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, on Thursday confirmed the delay in the payment of wages as well as implementation of projects at Apo Island for the first half of 2014 was due to some technicalities with the Department of Budget and Management.

An earlier DBM ruling pushed for the simultaneous release of income shares of all protected areas in the Philippines once they had submitted their respective work plans for 2014 to be funded by part of their income from the previous year, Fabre explained.

Republic Act 10629, co-authored by Negros Oriental Representatives George Arnaiz (2nd district) and Pryde Henry Teves (3rd district), seeks for the immediate retention of the 75 percent share of income by LGUs hosting protected areas and 25 percent to the national coffers.

However, while Apo Island, through its Protected Area Management Board, had already submitted its work plan with salaries and other projects outlined for the first implementation and duly approved by DBM, other LGUs or PAMBs had failed to comply, Fabre said.

Fabre said some P3.6 million in wages and projects, such as the acquisition of buoys and maintenance works, representing half of Apo Island's 75 percent share of last year's income have already been calendared for this year. The work plan was submitted to the DBM as early as January this year, Fabre said. (FREEMAN)