Board members of a government water agency were allegedly given “token" bonuses worth a quarter of a million pesos each once their terms of office ended.
This was claimed on Tuesday by an unnamed source at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), a day after President Benigno Aquino III in his first-ever State of the Nation Address (SONA) criticized the agency's board members for receiving P2.5 million each year in benefits and emoluments.
"It can be said that they [MWSS board members] basically write their own checks," the MWSS source told reporters on Tuesday, which was confirmed by another GMANews.TV source.
The term "token bonus" was used to refer to the going-away gift given to MWSS board members when their terms of office ended.
Besides the "token" bonus, the MWSS board members also receive additional allowances, according to MWSS sources privy to the perks board members gave themselves.
These allowances include a discretionary fund worth P60,000 a month received by the MWSS Chairman, the source added.
Meanwhile, P50,000 each is allegedly received every month by the vice-chairman and other board members.
The water agency has a nine-member board of trustees.
A separate representational and transportation allowance (RATA) is also supposedly given to board members.
Some P37,400 is reportedly given to the Chairman, P33,000 to the vice-chairman, and P28,000 to the board members.
During every board meeting, which is supposed to be held twice a month, each board member receives P14,000 as a per diem allowance, the source said, corroborating President Aquino's assertions in his SONA speech.
"Attending [MWSS] board of trustees and board committee meetings, and you get fourteen thousand pesos. This totals ninety eight thousand pesos a month. They also get an annual grocery incentive of eighty thousand pesos," Aquino said in the English translation of his SONA speech delivered on Monday.
The source added that board meetings are sometimes held twice a day, thus entitling them to receive P28,000 in one day.
Meanwhile, during committee meetings, each board member is also entitled to a P5,000 per diem, the source said.
It was not immediately clear which set of the MWSS Board approved which emoluments, since board resolutions are under lock and key and are very difficult to access, according to the source.
The excessive bonuses and perks reportedly began during the Arroyo administration, as Aquino's SONA expose implied.
Individuals appointed to the MWSS Board, a body which formulates water policies for Metro Manila, enjoy a five-year term.
However, since 2007, those nominated to the board held only temporary appointments, which can be withdrawn immediately, the GMANews.TV source said.
"Appointments to the board have been temporary so that if a member refuses to follow instructions of the 'higher-ups,' or refuses to get along, his appointment can be terminated," the GMANews.TV source said.
At the same time, the source defended the benefits received by MWSS workers, saying that these same benefits were received by other government-owned and controlled corporations.
However, the source was unable to identify which among the GOCCs were able to give these kinds of benefits.
Text messages requesting clarification regarding the matter were sent to Macra Cruz, MWSS Officer-In-Charge, former MWSS Chairman Diosdado Allado, and former Justice Secretary Alberto Agra who once served as an MWSS board member.
They have yet to reply, as of posting time.
Similarly, no replies have been received by GMANews.TV so far when it asked current MWSS board members Santiago Gabionza, Albert Balingit, and Ferdinand Mahusay to comment on the accusations via text message.
The current MWSS board members are listed as follows: Ferdinand Mahusay Raul Ragandang Virgilio Angelo Santiago Gabionza Albert Balingit Aurora Arnaez Oscar Garcia There are two vacancies. No one has been named as replacement for the position vacated by DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, who quit the MWSS Board Chairmanship owing to conflict of interest allegations.
No one has also been named head of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), which serves as the lawyer for government corporations. The OGCC has a seat in the MWSS Board since the MWSS is a government-owned or controlled corporation.—JV
