Gov. Arthur Yap says that he is standing to implement the proper procedure and coordination with the channels, especially with the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (B-IATF) for visiting top officials who may come to Bohol.
He reiterated this during a radio interview on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 over “Newsmakers ug Uban Pa” hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Chandymar Batoy.
The governor touched on the short notice given to him about the visit of Ferro to Bohol, which transpired on Tuesday, sans the presence of the governor.
He said that there should be proper coordination with the B-IATF whenever there is a dignitary or a high level government official paying a visit to the province.
He said that aside from Ferro, the province also welcomed the Commanding General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Central Commander, Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan, who visited Carmen on Tuesday, where the 47th Infantry Battalion is based.
The governor said that Ancan’s visit to Bohol was properly coordinated with the B-IATF, one (1) week in advance.
The governor further said that any visit of any government official should pass through the B-IATF. He had the impression that everyone knows that there should be proper coordination prior to any visit to Bohol as Ancan’s camp made an effort to inform the B-IATF in advance about the AFP general’s visit.
Apparently, the process of proper coordination is not clear to everyone, the governor mentioned in the interview citing the issue on Ferro’s visit.
With Ancan’s case all of the protocols were discussed and followed. The arrival of Ancan was supervised by representatives from the Provincial Health Office and the Municipal Health Office of Carmen town, Yap bared.
He said that he will write Ferro and Ferro’s superiors about the short notice given regarding the arrival in Bohol, to register the provincial government’s opinion that everyone should follow the protocols and the rules.
The governor mentioned that Tourism Sec. Bernadette Puyat is considering visiting Bohol and until now the coordination process is yet to be completed.
The same is true with the Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año and even Inter Agency Task Force chief implementor Sec. Carlito Galvez.
“Everybody has to go through the B-IATF,” the governor said in the interview. He added that there should be no exemptions about coordinating with the B-IATF prior to arrival here.
There is a reason for the need to let everything and everyone go through the B-IATF, which is primarily for transparency’s sake. Proper coordination will also help the provincial government explain why a certain visit was denied or allowed and properly communicated to the Boholano public.
FERRO’S VISIT
On Tuesday, Police Regional Office 7 chief Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro visited Bohol and stayed for a little over an hour. He met with various police officials in Bohol at the airport and left for Cebu.
The governor regrets the fact that he was not able to meet Ferro as the former was only informed about the latter’s visit about 12 and a half hours before the arrival in Bohol.
The governor already had a prior commitment on Tuesday, and was unable to have a quick meeting with Ferro.
The governor said that it would be an honor for him to meet with Ferro who made the effort to visit Bohol.
Yap said that police provincial director Col. Joselito Clarito informed him about Ferro’s viait at around 8:04 pm on Monday, July 13, 2020 and Ferro is scheduled to arrive at 8:30
am on Tuesday.
The governor told Clarito that Ferro could have told him about the visit earlier so he (the governor) can adjust his schedule.
The governor was in Pandanon Island in Getafe on Tuesday.
Moreover, Yap lamented that the coordination made by Clarito in respect to Ferro’s visit was done only 12 and a half hours prior to the arrival, which was not enough to give him some room to arrange his schedule and meet Ferro even for short period.