KMU: P26.8 M DOLE entertainment spending – not entertaining

Militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno today 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 to public funds is “far from entertaining.”

The COA disclosed that DOLE officials spent the said amount on entertainment – with secretary Marianito Roque, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries taking lead with P12 M. 

The COA itself said the expenses were incurred “without restraint, judiciousness and economy.” It 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 chairperson. “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 Sept. 2008, job generation is already in bad shape. Were they celebrating the repression of the trade-union movement in the country for the past years? The murder of former EMI-Yazaki union president Jerry Cristobal in March 10, 2008?” asked Labog. 

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

Labog said the amount should have gone to the P20,000 immediate relief for workers that the KMU has been calling 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. 

The labor leader also said that “The COA report shows there are little Gloria’s in the DOLE who have their little Le Cirque’s. 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,” said Labog, referring to the Quezon legislator who claimed he paid for Mrs. Arroyo’s Le Cirque dinner. “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 will 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,” said Labog. #