DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines - Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias II vowed to conduct investigation on some middle level Capitol officials who are always absent, especially those assigned in far-flung areas in the province.
The governor would zero in on agriculture technical personnel deployed in far-flung areas who are reportedly always absent and allegedly filed incorrect data reports.
The governor noted that due to "ill-performance" the Department of Agriculture national office got wrong data from the reports from these personnel, thus "misrepresenting" the situation of the industry in the region, he said.
Macias said an investigating team has already been created that would help verify the reports coming from the field offices of the agriculture department.
He said if the reports are found to be fake and doctored, the authors will not only be removed from office but also prosecuted for falsification of public documents.
An insider of Capitol, however, pointed out that many agriculture personnel are political appointees who tend to abuse the goodwill of their political "godfathers" to the prejudice of the ideal government service.
The governor has been on the front line because he himself wants to have a successful organic farming implemented in the province and a way to cushion the impact of price increases in chemical fertilizer.
He also instructed provincial School Superintendent Licerio Napao to train public school teachers on how to make organic fertilizers so they can channel this knowledge to their students. This will, in turn, help students earn money as Capitol committed to purchase half of their production. - Sun.Star Dumaguete