Whose money paid for fares, hotels?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The flavor of the week now is the exposé about the number of solons and cabinet members who have tagged along with the President in her trips to three of the wealthiest, most historical and powerful countries in Europe. Media reports yesterday said there are no less that thirty-seven solons tailing President Arroyo and her husband, and enjoying the perks accorded to the party in a presidential visit.

Several groups, some members of Congress themselves, have questioned and expressed shock over the impropriety of this. One can only wonder what the host countries are thinking now. Are they imagining some native chief going around with his tribe following?

Reacting swiftly, the traveling solons claimed that they were paying their own way, that neither Malacañang nor the Office of the President was paying for their fare or their hotel accommodations. Maybe so, but how can the public be sure that the millions being paid to the posh hotels, the plane fares, did not come from the pork barrel money? Remember that congressmen get P70 MILLION annually, senators get P200 MILLION. For those who have served for almost three terms now, just multiply that amounts by seven years and you will know how much they have got. And they do not have to account for those millions, nor submit their expenses to audit. Oh, they will think up beautiful reasons for going to those countries, that we can expect. Cabinet members also on the party were more forthright. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said his staff on the trip were funded by his office, the Office of the Press Secretary. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap also said the DA spent for him.

But didn't all the funds of their offices also come from money taken from our treasury? And these were taken from us all in the form of taxes we pay? To think that these peregrinating officials are supposed to be the “servants of the people”!

But let's not be too harsh on them, they certainly would not have jumped on those planes so fast if GMA were visiting some impoverished country where they cannot enjoy palatial accommodations and tour some of the world's most beautiful places.*