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Almost P5 M for ‘Pilipinas Kay Ganda’ launch/preview

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim has been quoted by media as having said that nothing has yet been spent from the P200 million budget for the promotions of the “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” branch that they launched last Nov. 15.

It’s a lie. Almost P5 million has been allotted (presumably spent) for it. Here are the documents:


Published inTravel

63 Comments

  1. vic vic

    But Ellen, there is only one page of documents attached with 712 thousand pesos grand total..maybe there are more documents that were not in the post?

  2. NFA rice NFA rice

    It’s only P712,790 in the document, Ellen. Are there hidden costs involved?

    Campaigns and Gray is a multinational ad agency. If we take C&G’s word that they did it pro bono, an intern/on-the-job trainee probably designed the logo. In other words, the DOT expected a miracle to happen.

    As mentioned elsewhere, why did they not stick to or improved on the old brand? It was not perfect but it worked.

  3. NFA rice NFA rice

    Oh ok, it is indeed P3.7 million.

    Maybe not corrupt, just amateurs so they are licensed to waste our money.

  4. I’m trying to arrange the documents. I’m having difficulty.

  5. NFA rice NFA rice

    I am glad you have these documents Ellen, I wonder how you got them?

    I would like to see the Freedom of Information (without the caveats) enacted into law. If Noynoy has the political will to achieve that, I would gladly morph into a Yellow zombie.

  6. Wow talaga! DOT making miracles!!!

  7. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    If you look at the middle right doc, there is the breakdown. It totals 3.2 Million.

    Now it says page 1 of 2, but there is no page 2. So page 2 should supply the rest of the amounts.

    Excellent sources Ellen. This is the real thing, not a mere intent or proposed payment, because it already has a COA pre-audit.

    So if there was a launch, that means the contract is already in the bag. With some deliverables, as light as this, Campaigns and Grey gets 100 Million.

  8. chi chi

    DOT Lim is a big liar, Gloria Arroyo’s legacy is very much alive!

  9. chi chi

    Salamat Ellen. Akala kasi ng iba dyan, bira lang ng bira ang Ellenville ng walang pruweba. Ayan, nagdudumilat na dokumentos! I believe PNoy is honest but for his own sakes, he might want to make tadyak sa mga taong ito already!

    Why lie, if the entire amount was spent in the lunch, este launch? Magsabi na lang totoo noh! It’s the president’s men who make negative news for PNoy, not the media.

  10. I’m still verifying something. Will post once confirmed.

    Pasensya na kayo at ang gulo ng pagka-post ko because I’m in the middle of doing two stories na hinihintay. Aayusin ko mamaya.

  11. Becky Becky

    I thought it was just test,a preview. The documents says “launch.”

  12. A lie? Nagsisingulang sila? Talaga? Ang Noynoy administrasyon, hindi naman siguro, huwang mong sabihin naman iyan. Nagsisinungaling?

  13. Before the month ends, Malacanang will say “… media has misquoted”

  14. My colleague in VERA Files went through the documents. She said, it’s almost P4.8 or almost P5 M.

    You may wonder why I revised the title of this post.

  15. edongpinoy edongpinoy

    be it a single cent ellen, C&G when interviewed proudly said they did it pro bono like when they designed Noynoy’s campaign logo saying “original” yun pala kinopya lang sa logo ng US Cancer Society!, so did alberto lim y kay ganda… so they are fooling the Filipinos again. Let us see if PNOY will apply that “command responsibility” again…saying…”the issue is blown out of proportion..” I hope Pnoy will not do it this time but rather throw his people to cliff of no return. congrats ellen. you did it again!!!

  16. Re # 15 US Cancer Society? I thought from Poland’s tourism logo.

  17. Isagani Isagani

    I have been watching You Tube clips of PeNoy, Lim and others involved in this Kay Ganda slogan project. It is amazing how these people, particularly Lim, continue to deny accountability for this project that turned up to be a total fiasco.

    And PeNoy’s so predictable with his “Putting to task” bs when caught in embarrassing situations. And now again caught in a lie with expenditures on the slogan fiasco.

    Can’t these people get anything right?
    ______________________________________

    By the way, is there any sanction, aside from public ridicule, for lying that applies in this case?

  18. Isagani Isagani

    Once again, Great Stuff, Ellen!

  19. MrG MrG

    What was so special about Dr. Nilo Prisco of Pagasa that he merited the President’s ire? I find it extremely perplexing why the President has been timid in the case of other bumbling officials that have inflicted more damage than a botched weather forecast. What does this say about the current Presidential style of leadership?

  20. Re: #15; #17

    Ellen, Noynoy’s campaign logo of a yellow ribbon was copied from the US Cancer Society Logo.

  21. Buti na lang hindi ako imbitado sa launch. Hinding-hindi ako kakain ng Live Barbecue ‘no!

  22. Now this is more like it! We should get a new tourism guy after this. Can’t Dick Gordon be enlisted on a consultant basis only?

  23. With everything thats happening, Campaigns and Grey should change their name to “Campaigns and Gray Areas” because they seem to be operating on gray areas anyway…

    …and if they really want some in your face changes in the palace – put Ellen there! she’s not affiliated with any interest groups and is independent as anyone can get…i believe we can get more things done with people like her than even manny paquiao…lets stop focusing on popularity but on the real issues for a change…

  24. Pwede ba Jug, I won’t survive in government. Hindi ko kaya yun.

  25. From Ellen’s earlier blog entry Campaigns and Grey statement on ‘Pilipinas kay Ganda’:

    16. saxnviolins – November 20, 2010 7:10 am

    Wala daw bayad. For love of country kuno (ang baduy naman).

    Can the COA confirm or deny if there has in fact been payment? Baka naman may puwedeng mag-leak ng audit report, also for love of country.

  26. MrG MrG

    COA has already confirmed the release based on the pre-audited voucher. For a clearer view of the documents see http://maritimewatchkeeper.info. pw=’ellen’

  27. From Ellen’s earlier blog entry Campaigns and Grey statement on ‘Pilipinas kay Ganda’:

    16. saxnviolins – November 20, 2010 7:10 am

    Wala daw bayad. For love of country kuno (ang baduy naman).

    Can the COA confirm or deny if there has in fact been payment? Baka naman may puwedeng mag-leak ng audit report, also for love of country.

    BTW, Ellen’s Vera Files colleague is right, it’s P4.882M (P3,771K + P713K + P398K) The last two (supplemental budget 1 & 2) attachments do not show Lim’s approval, though. And no vouchers or checks were attached, unlike in the P3.771M original disbursement.

    Do not be confused by the 3 vouchers – images 1, 7 & 8 (L-R; T-B) they are the same except that image 7 has a “receiving stamp” of Internal Audit.

  28. Tiago Tiago

    this shows a budget/expenses for the launch. there is nothing here that say C&G got paid. Or is it on another sheet…Haaayyy.. why the lie?

  29. Tiago Tiago

    @tongue: and the “live pasta”…what the heck is that? Needs help here…

  30. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Live Barbecue, baka pangalan ng banda yan, tutugtog live.

    Live pasta, baka dentista yan. Magpropromote din sila ng medical tourism, dahil mahal ang magpapasta dito sa Tate.

  31. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    The middle big document says “disbursement voucher”. If I remember right, from a voucher, a check is made. Considered bayad na, if there is a voucher, physical preparation na lang ng check. At least, that is what my med rep friends used to say, when they were collecting from gov hospitals.

    In fact, said document shows that cash is available. It also indicates what check to use, “MDS check” or commercial check. In this case, MDS check was checked.

    At the bottom, it says approved for payment, Alberto Lim. On the left of that, there is a line that says received payment, and there is a check number 2034383.

    10/10/2010 ang mga approvals, the date near the check is 10/18/2010. Mukhang bayad na nga.

    Any more? Baka naman obligated na yung rest of the 100 million, meaning, hindi na puwedeng iastras ang project, matter of whom to contract and pay na lang. Kung obligated na, kahit next year na bayaran, para wala nang heat from the media.

    My orig question, by the way, has not been answered. Was there a bidding on this? 100 million ito, that’s two million dollars. What the heck am I slaving in the First World for, ang dali palang guminhawa sa Pinas with mediocre results?

  32. MrG MrG

    After seeing those documents presented by Ellen, I was about to say something about Vicente Romano who figured prominently in the ‘Black&White’ movement. His resignation is a breath of fresh air in this Administration beleaguered with bloopers; so there’s no need for me to write on that.

    It’s easy to understand bloopers from neophytes in government service, but I look with suspicion at bloopers made by officials still embedded in government service specially after helping the corrupt operators in the Administration that completely reigned for nine years.

  33. totingmulto totingmulto

    The P 3.7 M check is not yet a disbursement but is merely a transfer of funds ( set aside) to support the budget. Necessarily, this has to be pre-audited because it involves govt. funds. Although I don’t support the appropriateness of the planned expenditures, I don’t see anything to conclude that there has been payment of these expenses from the documents shown by ellen.

  34. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    View the check at the link posted by MrG #28. Password is “ellen”.

    Check is payable to the “Tourism Promotions Board”, an attached agency of the DOT.

    So how does the Tourism Promotions Board pay its contractors? By corporate check? Audited pa ba yan? O home free na sila, dahil pre-audited na ang bayad sa Board?

  35. toting, Oct. 15 ang launch, Oct. 18-19 ang mga approval, ibig sabihin delivered na, saka meron nang tseke pirmado na. Invoice and/or O.R. na lang ang hinihintay. 20+ years ang experience namin sa gobyerno, walang voucher (lalong walang tseke) kung walang acceptance ng end user.

    Kumbaga sa rape, nakababa ang panty ng babaeng umiiyak, bukul-bukol ang mukha sa suntok, habang nagtataas ng zipper yung nakangising maton. Understood na yon. hehehe.

  36. Isagani Isagani

    And because of undersecretary Vicente Romano’s honesty and gallantry in accepting blame and resignation, PeNoy is looking for a place for him in his admin. Or maybe create a new position for him as scapegoat consultant.

  37. sax, Tourism Promotions Board is a GOCC which replaced the Phil. Convention and Visitors Corporation which was also under the DOT.

    Despuez, sinomang CEO ng TPB ang may final say sa paglalagyan ng kwarta.

  38. NFA rice NFA rice

    A light-weight grudgingly biting the dust.

  39. And ICAO (International Civil Aeronautics Organization) is not only further complicating the Pilipinas Tourism-Industry (about certifying as safety-compliant Cebu Pacific, PAL and other Philippine air carriers)…. ICAO is also saying some things about Noynoy Aquino appointment practices.

    ————-
    In a November 9 letter, Icao informed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) that the December 7-10 Icao Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) would have to be moved to another date.

    “…I would like to inform you that due to operational concerns, we will need to postpone the ICVM. We will endeavor to work with you to re-schedule the mission for mutually agreed upon dates,” said Henri Gourdji, chief of Icao’s Continuous Monitoring and Oversight Section.

    CAAP said such “operational concerns,” when clarified in a teleconference with Icao officers on November 17, “relate to the insecurity of Icao in the sustainability of the present reforms being undertaken by CAAP.”

    “The present unclear political announcements of a change in senior management could create, in Icao’s opinion, an indeterminable future of professional processes within CAAP,” the Icao officers were quoted as saying in the teleconference.

    CAAP director general Alfonso Cusi said this referred to the questioned appointment of seven key officials to the agency without going through civil service regulations and without Cusi’s approval.

    The seven officers were appointed by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) based on a “desire letter” by President Aquino. The DoTC also wanted to replace Cusi, an appointee under the Arroyo administration, but could not do so, as he had a fixed term that would lapse until 2014.

    http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20101123-304873/Philippine-aviation-audit-postponed-due-to-operational-concerns

  40. baycas2 baycas2

    More on LOGO*
    (pronounced lo-ko; noun: deception)

    be it a single cent ellen, C&G when interviewed proudly said they did it pro bono like when they designed Noynoy’s campaign logo saying “original” yun pala kinopya lang sa logo ng US Cancer Society!
    – edongpinoy – November 23, 2010 12:04 am

    It’s an awareness ribbon, reminiscent of the Cory ribbon which was inspired by the “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” song, and it’s a symbol of support. Yellow ribbon has been an Aquino emblem ever since the People Power revolution.

    I don’t see a problem with the campaigners using the yellow ribbon because it’s just a ribbon that has already been stuck with the “Aquino” brand. It even has morphed into a yellow dove-and-ribbon logo which is more representative of Cory Democracy.

    But, now that you’ve mentioned it, if indeed C&G copied the US Cancer Society’s own depiction of the yellow ribbon then probably they will have a bigger problem.

    The purpose of the Cancer Society Ribbon Colors is:

    to show support to those living with cancer, who have died from cancer—or a cancer-related illness—and to support the further research and treatments of the disease, many people wear awareness ribbons. Different cancers are represented through different colored ribbons and are mostly worn on the lapel of a shirt, jacket or coat.

    Yellow ribbons represent, in general, liver disease and cancer as well as cancer in specific organs:

    A simple yellow ribbon is worn to represent liver disease and cancer, as well as testicular and bladder cancer.

    Edongpinoy, thanks for the reminder…for today, P.Noy’s yellow ribbon represents THE MALADY OF MEDIOCRITY that is fast-becoming pervasive…possibly coming to an epidemic proportion!

    —–
    *Part 1 was posted at ellen’s blog post #13928

  41. totingmulto totingmulto

    If you look at the voucher, the explanation would show that it is a transfer of funds from the general fund to a special fund which is the project/budget. A check must be issued to effect the transfer pero hindi ito bayad because this will be deposited to as a special fund. It is merely putting money from the right hand to the left hand. No money goes out of the department at this point. This the vouchers as shown above will tell.
    Kung inutang na ang mga budgeted expenditures na yan from various suppliers which is a common practice in the govt., di ko na alam yan. What I’m sure is that those documents do not show payments to outside.

  42. totingmulto totingmulto

    payments outside the department.

  43. Elsewhere in the world, yellow is also the colour of cowardice but I didn’t ascribe cowardice to the Aquino campaign… I extrapolated and thought of the song “tie a yellow ribbon” around the acacia tree (???), nothing to do with cowardice at that level.

  44. Ayaw pa ring pumayag ni Totingmulto. Kung ang lahat ng dokumentong hinahanap mo para patunayang bayad na iyan ay ia-attach nung nagbigay kay Ellen, e di para na ring inamin nung tao na siya ang nagbigay. Sibak siya sigurado. Esep-esep!

    Again, the check voucher (Nov. 18) was prepared post-delivery (Nov. 15) ibig sabihin, formality na lang ang check preparation dahil accepted na ang deliverable items.

    Tama na ang palusot, inamin na nga ng nagkasala yung krimen e. Lol.

  45. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Mukhang may gumalaw sa loob, para mailathala ang kapalpakan.

    Ngayon, kung gumalaw naman sana ang mga paparazzi, at sa halip na hubad na artista ang kunan, ay kunan ng larawan ang mga huwad na bayad sa jueteng, talagang magpapasalamat ang taumbayan.

  46. Your are right there, SnV. That, in way, is citizen journalism.

  47. totingmulto totingmulto

    Simple lang ang hinahanap ko sa check. Sino ang payee? Supplier o’ contractor? Hindi yata. So therefore wala pang bayad. I don’t want to make conclusions outside of the documents shown by mam ellen.
    Again, the check can not be an issuance of a post delivery dahil pag may delivery, it must be made payable to the supplier/ contractor. Ask any government accountant on that. I would agree that a certain amount had been allotted to that particular project. If there are vouchers/ checks that are made for payments, these are post audited by COA and are public records. Hindi yan maitago. I still have to see them.

  48. Obviously, toting, yung informer, nasa loob ng DOT. Ang hinahanap mong tseke manggagaling sa Tourism Promotion Board which is a Gov’t-owned Corporation with a different set of officers/signatories, ergo, a different checkbook.

    Walang jurisdiction ang whistle-blower doon maliban kung concurrent official din siya sa TPB aside from DOT which is usually sa Usec/Asec level na yun.

  49. Elen/sax,
    Re: May gumagalaw sa loob…

    Di naman kaya demolition job ng kabilang faction?

  50. Di naman kaya demolition job ng kabilang faction?- Tongue

    Could be.

    When I evaluation the info for a story, my primary consideration is accuracy.Motive has minor relevance.

    Are the the documents authentic. Romano was asked about them and he never denied them. he also did not deny the P4.8 M amount.

    As to whether the money was used, take note that they asked
    for an additional P713K and P398K. That means kulang yung P3.7 million.

  51. I have documents of the payee and I was in the process of getting more background info on the companies and names mentioned there but Romano resigned.

    The night before he resigned I texted him about allegations of the involvement of his daughter Denese in the launch but he did not reply, which was unusual because he always answered my calls and text messages.

    During his farewell presscon, Stella Arnaldo of BusinessMirror asked him about it and he admitted that his daughter directed the launch but she did it pro-bono.

    Although there are still a number of questions unanswered about Romano and the Pilipinas Kay Ganda project, I’m letting go of the issue. I have made public the documents which I have verified to be true. Others are free to pursue it.

    There are other cases I’m working on involving higher stakes.

  52. Al Al

    Si Yolly Ong, pikon na pikon na. She is conjuring conspiracy by Lucio Tan and GMA.

    I thought she was bright. Harvard pa. Bakit naging boba ito?

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