SB Cellphones

The Sangguniang Bayan is now, again, involved in a controversial issue regarding allocating for themselves cellphones for supposedly work-related use. This matter was brought to the attention of the "netizens" by karahu, a participant of the CarCanMadCarLan Discussion board. This is also currently the flavor of the week in talks among the different social circles of Cantilan after the issue of the P1.4M robbery has cooled down. The issue has been fanned some more with stories going around that one of the councilors, Mr. Modesto Yparraguirre also known as Sir Moding, is going to file a case against one of the councilors who personally took the money from the OIC Treasurer and who supposedly arrogated unto himself the authority to personally purchase the cellphones.

There are several issues that need to be addressed by the Sangguniang Bayan foremost of which is the propriety of the appropriation as correctly pointed out by another participant, popeye, of the CarCanMadCarLan discussion board. According to popeye: "kun may prebelihiyo baja, abusohan ra kan lamang maski di na kun pabor para sa munisipyo? amo pay ila pag-ingkod sa katungdanan, tagkawatan pa gajud an munisipyo nan 1.3m, hampan unahon nila an ila kaugalingon? pila ka percent nan mga tawag nila an related sa ila trabaho? uman doctor sila kay kinahanglan on-call sila pirmi?"

I agree with popeye on all of the points that he raised. Granting that there is a privilege given to the councilors on this matter, it is not a God-given right. The first thing that should have been addressed is the issue of need, as pointed out by iskolar, another member of the CarCanMadCarLan discussion board. Is there a need for the councilors to have cellphones? Let me point out what I think about this matter of need. In years past, we survived without cellphones and yet things worked out well. The cellphones came into the world within the last decade or so and only within the last five years here in Cantilan and yet in just a short span of time, the Cantilangnons are well-equipped with the it. There is even an anecdote that a mananggutay fell from a coconut tree because his cellphone rang and he had to answer it. We are probably one of the most well-connected people in the planet with our ready access to world-class communication especially also with the advent of broadband connection. Yet, even in this modern age of communication, there still is a lot of miscommunication.

Do councilors really need a cellphone to be issued to them by the LGU paid for by taxpayers money? This can be answered by looking at the volume of calls each councilor handles that are related to his or her work in comparison to the total number of calls in a given month. After getting a summary of work-related calls or texts that each councilor sends, it should be determined what percent is the work-related calls or texts to the total calls and texts that each councilor sends. This should be the basis for determining if it is justified to purchase cellphones for the councilors. Just like any equipment, the SB should then set a policy for the purchase of the cellphones. For example, if the volume of calls or texts averages between 30% to 40%, if the councilors already have existing personal cellphones, wouldn't it be prudent instead to just provide the councilors a cellphone allowance instead of buying a cellphone for each of them? If in this example the councilor does not own a cellphone, maybe the LGU can purchase the cellphone and just like any other equipment owned by the LGU, loan it to the councilor making the councilor accountable for the cellphone. When his or her term expires, he or she should turn over the cellphone to the LGU.

This should have been the right approach that the SB should have taken instead of automatically allocating cellphones for each of them two months after taking their oaths of office. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth especially since just a few weeks ago, the LGU was robbed of P1.4M.

There are more pressing matters that the council could have taken up but instead, they are losing momentum for taking causes that are detrimental to the interest of the general public. First Sipangpang and now this.

What next, dear councilors?