WE WERE at the Boracay Regency Hotel in February 2011, and saw barangay officials from Pasig City arriving at the hotel for a “seminar workshop.”
Here is an estimate of the taxpayers’ money spent on this workshop, based on the following conservative assumptions:
1) That Pasig City’s 30 barangays were each represented in the workshop by at least two officials. This means there were at least a total of 60 workshop participants.
2) That transportation was by Ro-ro. With a roundtrip fare of P1,500, this means the total expenses for transportation amounted to P90,000 for all 60 participants. (P1,500 x 60 pax [participant] = P90,000)
3. That the hotel accommodation was “twin sharing.” This means Pasig City paid for 30 rooms. At P5,000 each for three nights, accommodation amounted to P450,000. (30 x P5,000 x 3 = P450,000
4. That each meal cost P400 and that the city paid for at least six meals during the seminar for every pax. This means: P400 x 6 x P60 = P144,000
5. That expenses for the conference sound system, etc. and others amounted to P684,000; and for incidentals (uniforms, snacks, etc.), P316,000. All in all, this is about P1 million.
Does a barangay workshop have to be held at a five-star hotel in Boracay? How many classroom chairs, blackboards, books, notebooks, pads for Pasig public schools will P1.684 million (more or less) buy?
—MARIA BATALLA GRANJA,
25 Rizal St., Calinog, llollo