The slapping incident at the Negros Occidental provincial Capitol in Bacolod City is turning out to be not just a tiff between employees as it raised questions yesterday about the manner in which financial assistance to those in need are being made at the governor’s office.
Gov. Isidro Zayco said he has directed Virginia Parreño, Human Resource Management Officer at the Capitol, to look into the slapping incident involving Jiecyl Abalajon, a technical assistant of Board Member Nehemias de la Cruz, and Joey Aquino of the Governor’s Office, in the Office of Board Member Adolfo Mangao Wednesday.
Abalajon said she slapped Aquino, and he slapped her back.
However, Aquino yesterday said he did not slap Abalajon back he just parried her hits to protect himself. And he said that when he went to the Police Station 2 headquarters in Bacolod City, to file a complaint, Abalajon’s husband, Julius, boxed him, causing his left eyebrow to bleed.
He said Abalajon probably slapped him because he had recommended that the P10,000 financial assistance she had sought following the hospitalization of her child be reduced to P5,000.
Abalajon Wednesday showed reporters a piece of paper indicating that only P5,000 in assistance was approved for her by Jonathan Lobaton, executive assistant of the governor.
But Lobaton yesterday said she was, in fact, given P10,000 through the governor’s office and another P5,000 from the Sanngunian funds.
Lobaton said he is the approving authority for the allocation of assistance sought through the governor’s office that he then forwards to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for processing.
Asked why such a large amount was given to Abalajon from supposed PSWDO funds, which are usually allocated for needs of indigents, Lobaton admitted that Capitol employees are not included in the classification of indigents.
Capitol employees supposedly cannot apply for such assistance but if they are in need of help, consideration has been made, he said.
However, because of what happened we have made strict guidelines that employees of the Capitol should not be covered, he said.
Lobaton also denied allegations that the full amounts being approved for assistance were not being given to the supposed recipients, and that someone was taking cuts.
Zayco said the slapping incident was not good, differences should be resolved through dialog and not through violence.
He also said requests for assistance submitted to the governor’s office under the process are forwarded to the PSWDO for evaluation.
visayan daily star
Post a Comment