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"Botika sa Katawhan" closed
By: KIT BAGAIPO
TEMPORARILY CLOSED. A notice posted
at the door of the Botika sa Katawhan (right) announces
that its operation is temporarily suspended by City Mayor
Dan Lim and Deputy Mayor Mariano Uy until a resolution
filed by Kag. Zenaido Rama scrutinizing its operation
is resolved while some boxes of medicines (left) were
lready pulled out from the public pharmacy starting yesterday.
Foto: DANNY REYESC |
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What
started out as a series of attacks by a city councilor
into funds allocated for the Botika sa Katawhan, ends
up with the closure of the public pharmacy which gives
out free medicines to poor city residents.
City
Mayor Dan Lim yesterday said he will suspend the operation
of the Botika sa Katawhan until the issues raised in
a resolution filed by Councilor Zenaido Rama are resolved.
The
mayor said the continuing efforts to undermine the
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Botika,
a brainchild of Deputy Mayor Mariano Uy, is taking its toll
on the operation of the public pharmacy.
Rama,
on the other hand, sees the Botika operations as being "too
politicized" while "some its beneficiaries do not
qualify as indigents."
The
councilor said he will file a resolution during tomorrow's
session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) asking for a report
on the status of funds and implementation of the Botika sa
Katawhan.
During
the SP session last week, Rama also inquired on the continued
operations of the trade fair at the City Port that was managed
by Uy.
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Rama
noted that the trade fair has become an eyesore at the
city's gateway for tourists.
The
trade fair was organized by Uy to raise additional funds
for the Botika. However, according to Rama, the deputy
mayor should render an accounting of its proceeds.
In
the proposed resolution, Rama cited Sec. 123, Chapter
5 of the Revised Code of Administrative Ordinances of
the city requiring "annual or quarterly reports
on the status of funds and implementation" of the
project.
In
the 2008 budget, P2-million is appropriated for the
Botika, according to Rama.
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'MALICIOUS
ALLEGATIONS'
"We
have to draw the line and protect the integrity of the Botika
and Deputy Mayor Uy which is the real intention of this resolution,"
Lim declared.
The
mayor said that the Botika has been at the receiving end of
malicious and unfounded allegations raised by its critics
and it is time to resolve them once and for all.
He
recalled that in the last elections, political opponents tried
to poison the people that the Botika served only the mayor's
political allies when the truth was that the only reason why
not everybody was served was because the medicine supply was
inadequate.
"I
am not even aware who the beneficiaries are because I don't
want to make political capital out of a project that is for
genuine public service," the mayor added.
Lim
said that at the start of his second term, the Botika was
again the target of insinuations that became the basis for
the case filed by Uy against Councilor Edgar Kapirig.
Rama's
resolution, although claiming to support the Botika, wanted
the council to look into the operation of the pharmacy which
is the only one of its kind in the country that dispenses
free medicine.
"Frankly,
if it was not a councilor who is asking for that, it should
not even be taken seriously," Lim said.
The
mayor pointed out that aside from the office space and the
pharmacist, the city has no other contribution to the operation
of the Botika which is primarily a private sector initiative.
"What
is the personality of Rama and the Sangguniang Panlungsod
to look into that?" Lim asked.
He
said that in the same way the city has no personality to investigate
how Rama spends his own money and those of his family on his
vices, the councilor also has no personality to determine
how the resources of private individuals are being spent.
The
mayor also added that there is no basis for this resolution
because there have been no complaints received against the
operation of the Botika from its beneficiaries.
"What
about pharmacies that sell expired medicines, those that dispense
without prescriptions, refuse to give receipts, what has he
done about these?" he asked.
The
mayor however said that since Rama has put the credibility
of the Botika and Uy on the line, there is a need to resolve
the issue once and for all.
To
prevent any suspicions of a whitewash, Lim said he is suspending
the Botika operation until the Rama resolution is resolved.
The
mayor said this is one moment when the people particularly
the beneficiaries should unite and stand up not only for the
Botika but for good government in general.
"While
we are not onion-skinned to criticism, there is a limit to
grandstanding and there is a need to uphold dignity and honor.
People should let their voice be heard on this," Lim
stressed.
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