DoLE spent P26.8M for lavish meals in 2008 — KMU

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno yesterday condemned officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for spending P26.8 million for “entertainment” in 2008, as revealed recently by the Commission on Audit (CoA), saying the practice of charging lavish meals against public funds was “far from entertaining.”

The CoA report disclosed that DoLE officials spent the amount on entertainment — with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries taking lead with P12 million.

The CoA itself said the expenses were incurred “without restraint, judiciousness and economy.” It also noted that meetings “were held practically daily, some of which were conducted three times a day at different venues.”

“This is not entertaining — far from it,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairman, said in a statement faxed to media. “The meals eaten by DoLE officials definitely leave a bad taste in the mouth.”

“Were they celebrating? If yes, over what? Even before the economic and financial crisis broke out in September 2008, job generation is already in bad shape. Were they celebrating the repression of the trade-

union movement in the country for the past year? The murder of former EMI-Yazaki union president Jerry Cristobal in March 10, 2008?” Labog asked.

“It seems that DoLE officials celebrated the demise of jobs and job security, as well as the repression of the trade-union movement,” Labog added.

Labog said the amount should have gone to the P20,000 immediate relief for workers that the KMU called for in the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. “The amount could have provided 1,344 beneficiaries of such an immediate relief. It also could have bought 896 thousand kilos of rice,” he said.

Labog also said that “The COA report shows there are little Gloria’s in the DoLE who have their little Le Cirque’s (a French restaurant in Manhattan, New York – ed.). Here’s another proof that the rot at the top of the government has already spread to the body. DoLE officials are living up to being little presidents in their department.”

“DOLE officials, however, have one problem: They don’t have a Danilo Suarez to point to,” Labog said, referring to a Quezon lawmaker-businessman who claimed he paid for President Arroyo’s and her entourage’s expensive Le Cirque dinner during her official visit to Washington last year. “It’s clear that they charged their meals to the government. It’s too late for them to wash hands now.”

Labog also criticized the COA for simply recommending measures to the DoLE to improve the manner by which it would appropriately spend government funds in the future.

“Why is the COA merely recommending measures? It holds proof that DoLE officials misused public funds. It should investigate the officials involved, charge them and punish them,” Labog further said. –Daily Tribune