The Bohol Association of Barangay Livestock Aides (BABALA) came up with a manifesto to clear the controversy in relation to the “souvenir check” issue that was hurled against the provincial government this week.
The manifesto came after Gov. Arthur Yap drew flak from a few for distributing checks which are deemed to be vanity. The checks represented the honoraria given to the Barangay Livestock Aides (BALA) for the year 2020 in the amount of P2,400 each.
The full text of the manifesto can be found on page 7 of this week’s issue.
In the manifesto, the BABALA expressed thanks to the administration of Yap and Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos for the honoraria they received for 2020, which is claimed by them as the first financial assistance they have received for their work as BALA.
The same manifesto reiterated that some of them already received their respective honorarium via their bank accounts which are linked to automated teller machine (ATM) cards.
As the BALAs already received the honorarium, during the interaction with the governor on Aug. 3, 2021 in Loboc town, they received the souvenir checks and IDs identifying them as BALAs.
The BALAs said that they are elated to have received a remembrance of the first ever instance they received financial aid from the provincial government since the program started 24 years ago. They expressed elation that it is only the administration of Gov Art Yap who has given them this kind of assistance.
“Nga kami mopadayag sa among kalipay sa pagdawat sa maong honorarium ug kalipay sa souvenir check isip handomanan kanamo ug sa among pamilya nga sa tuig 2020 kami sa maong honorarium sa unang higayon,” the BABALA members wrote in the manifesto.
The members quipped in the manifesto that they were delighted to have the opportunity to meet the governor during the distribution of the souvenir checks and ID cards.
At this point, the group cleared Yap of insinuations that surfaced wherein the governor allegedly duped the BALAs by giving souvenir checks without providing the honorarium.
“Nga kami mopadayag nga dili tinuod ang gipalakaw sa media nga nangilad si Gov. Art Yap kay souvenir check ra ang gipanghatag ug walay nadawat kwarta tungod kay nahuman na dawat ang maong honorarium,” the BALA group members said.
THE ISSUE
The issue stems from allegations that Yap did not provide honorarium to the BALA and instead gave souvenir checks during an interaction in Loboc town on August 3, 2021 – checks that did not have any cash equivalent at all according to the allegations.
The allegation first surfaced in a post by a staunch Capitol critic, Willy Ramasola, who stated in said post on Aug. 3, 2022 entitled: Mangingilad na Gobernador; which insinuated that the governor allegedly duped the BALAs.
The post of the critic said that allegedly the governor visited Loboc to provide financial assistance to the BALA.
The critic alleged that the BALAs of Loboc received envelopes but were dismayed upon learning the checks were non-negotiable as they are mere souvenirs.