Provincial Administrator Kathyrin Pioquinto slammed the report that the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) allegedly deployed some personnel In the guise of providing assistance money to residents in some towns.
The allegation further avers that the personnel, who are paid by the PGBh, are engaged in campaigning activities for the re-election of incumbent Gov. Arthur Yap.
The article that saw print in the weekly newspaper The Bohol Chronicle on Apr. 17, 2022, mentioned the Rural Emergency and Assistance Program (REAP) or the cash-for-work program of the PGBh.
Pioquinto set the record straight in a radio interview on Apr. 18, 2022 over dyTR’s Balita FM’s Open Forum program, anchored by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Gloria Leodivica Araneta.
In that radio interview, Pioquinto aired the side of the Capitol saying that, indeed, there is a cash-for-work program or REAP that benefited workers who were impacted by the effects of the lockdowns due to the pandemic and typhoon Odette.
However the program ended on Mar. 31, 2022, she said.
Pioquinto stressed contrary to what critics are saying that the REAP is not a currently active program of the Capitol.
Additionally, she denied that the said program is anomalous, as alleged by Capitol critics.
“I don’t understand why they [critics] would say that the [cash-for-work] program is anomalous because this is for the people of Bohol,” she told the anchors of the radio program.
The PGBh created the said program to provide work, instead of directly providing cash assistance or dole outs to those affected by calamities that hit Bohol.
The top Capitol official categorically denied the allegation that there are personnel of the PGBh being used to conduct house-to-house campaign in some barangays in the province.
“I categorically state, that [the allegation] is not true at all,” the Provincial Administrator said during the interview.
She added that it is easy for critics to come up with baseless allegations and use a media outlet to spread unfounded lies against the Capitol and its leadership.
BACKGROUND
The issue stemmed from the aforementioned article in a weekly newspaper where it was alleged that the PGBh “is at the peak of deploying paid personnel to the barangays to campaign for the reelection of Gov. Art Yap under the guise of providing a fund assistance program.”
The news item further stated that it was Loboc mayor Leon Calipusan who said that based on monitoring in the towns, at least 3 personnel paid by the Capitol were tasked to conduct a survey asking voters about their choice for governor of Bohol this coming elections.
Calipusan alleged that the Capitol personnel promised “assistance” to a surveyed voter after the elections should he/she votes for Gov. Yap.
The allegation added that the Capitol personnel told a surveyed voter that they have the means to determine if indeed he/she voted for Yap or not.
The article said the budget for the assistance money is sourced from the allocation of the Office of the Governor.
Under the 2022 Budget of the PGBh, the Office of the Governor has an allocation of P183 million for the hiring of personnel, under the Bohol Employment Placement Office (BEPO).
Of the P183 million, P160 million is for the REAP.
REPLY
Pioquinto said that it would be impossible to know the votes cast in a ballot as the country is already employing an automated polling system.
She said the only way to know the contents of the ballot is to take a photo of it. She then asserted that bringing of cellphones inside the precinct to be used in taking a photo of the ballot is illegal.
“There is no way to prove kun kinsa ang imong gebotar. Because the only way is to take a photo of your ballot. And that is not allowed,” she said in response to the allegation that the Capitol personnel have ways to know if indeed the voters voted for Yap or not.
On the allegation that Yap is using people’s money in his campaign, Pioquinto
said that the governor uses his proven service and track record as the launching pad for the campaign.
She added that the governor’s performance is enough to convince voters to elect Yap for a second term as governor of Bohol.