No “Epal” posters on PAMANA Projects, cautions OPPAP

CATARMAN, N/Samar– Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP) assures the public that their development projects under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan or PAMANA will not in any way be used by politicians in campaigning for positions in the 2013 elections.
 
Speaking before local media men at a press conference in Governor Paul Daza’s conference room last Wednesday, Montalbo cautioned local officials not to put up their posters on PAMANA project sites as they will surely have the posters removed.

 “Anti-epal po kami. We have given instructions to our PAMANA teams that no provincial government is allowed to put up PAMANA projects with faces of (officials),” was the U-sec’s clear pronouncement.

 Montalbo admitted that there were times when their personnel discovered billboards of some mayors and governors being placed in PAMANA project sites to make a public impression that the project was theirs.

 In such cases, they would ask the concerned officials to remove the billboards said the U-sec.

 “Talagang ipinapakiusap ho namin na gawin na lang nila yan sa ibang projects, ‘wag lang sa PAMANA. In fairness to the governors that we’re working with iginagalang naman nila ang policy namin,” he said.

 The OPPAP sets up community billboards and project markers in PAMANA areas to make clear to public that the projects come from the national government.

 Montalbo also dismissed the allegations that only President PNoy’s party mates can benefit from the PAMANA program. Any governor may request for project funding from the OPPAP as long as they can show that the project is for the people.

 “I think that’s the benefit of our office right now, hindi kami kinakailangang lumugar sa politika. Kahit ano ang partido ng gubernador basta dumadaan sa daang matuwid susuportahan namin.” Montalbo said. “Politically blind po ang OPPAP”.

 Montalbo was in the province on Wednesday to turn over to the provincial government the completed Nenita-Mirador Road in the town of Mondragon. The 1.73 kilometer road repair project that cost 30 Million Pesos is part of the P700 Million project of OPPAP under the PAMANA to complete the 7-kilometer stretch of rough road from Barangay Nenita Mondragon to the remote town of Silvino Lobos.

Northern Samar Governor Paul Daza was proud to note that the province is one of President Benigno Aquino III’s priorities for development projects. (RACHEL ARNAIZ)

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Posted by lsde on Sep 24 2012. Filed under Second Story. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.