There’s a separate calendar for provincial governors, vice-governors, mayors, vice-mayors and ranking personnel of various line departments assigned in regions, provinces and cities.

Tax money again

Who pays for these conventions and travel expenses of attendees who literally live, not stay, in Metro Manila hotels for three to four days? Provincial, city and municipal elective officials will not spend personal funds to visit the convention hall and listen to "important speeches," with political undertones.

Public servants cannot afford to spend their pay in the face of food shortages.

Let’s itemize/identify specific expenses: Travel expense by air, sea and land. A two-way plane fare from Mindanao to Manila would cost about P6,000 to P8,000. Hotel bill for three nights may cost P8,000 to P10,000. Food, etc. may not be expensive at P4,500 for three days.

To attend one such convention in Manila on "official business" (called OB by auditors and treasurers) it would mean a pocket money of at least P20,000 to P25,000 for one attendee or about P4,000,000 for 200 attendees.

So far there’s no announcement yet of municipal mayors’ convention and the attendance of about 1,500 members. This could bloat the convention budget to some R30 M chargeable against taxpayers.

For lack of a visible and strong party system national politicians don’t meet anymore in one huge gathering to nominate candidates for national offices — president, vice-president, and senator. In lieu of a convention some 20 to 40 of them meet at a hotel function room to nominate themselves or a few of them to fill important slots.

If among those present were incumbent officials of high standing there’s "enough reason" to pay all expenses with tax money.

In RP candidates for national offices don’t engage in fund-raising like Sen. Hillary of New York and Sen. Obama of Illinois whose campaign chests were filled by contributions from friends and party members.

It has become a tradition here to reverse the situation by giving money to party members and ward leaders up to election day, one form of vote-buying practiced by candidates for any local or national elective offices.

In the martial law years, executive department bosses in Manila would suddenly direct provincial chiefs to attend one conference after another.

One such conference was attended by MPWH (M for Ministry) district engineers from all provinces and cities. Auditors were not so strict if the order came from Manila. The engineers’ little women were, in a way, regular attendees by giving their big boys a long list of items to be bought for pasalubong.

Before, during and after martial law OB travels and convention expenses (plus order ni Mrs.) were all charged to taxpayers. The big boys’ "extra money" paid for all the shopping in full obedience to "order ni Mrs."

One district engineer who lost all his baon to the stores came home broke as ever. He composed a telegram to himself "that he was immediately needed in Manila again." His wife complained against the heartless boss who could not grant him an hour of rest. The trick worked and he proceeded to a town up north where he kept a "cozy hut" for a big girl of unknown identity.

Baguio is a classy convention site, and according to one café regular there was a near riot beside his house. As he summarized it: The big boy in this house showed a convention program to his wife and asked for baon for a three-day stay in Baguio.

He came home tired, incoherent and said he was with their compadre at the convention hall all the time. His wife called their compadre and asked if he and her husband had learned new lessons from the speakers.

The quick answer: "Na cancel at hindi natuloy ang convention!" For three days the barangay officials assigned three tanods to maintain peace and order near the house. Indeed, there was a riot pursued justifiably, not just near commotion. (Comments are welcome at roming@pefianco.com)