Dumaguete Mayor Remollo defends use of acronyms, slogans for government projects

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The use of names or nicknames of politicians as acronyms in certain projects is not new in Negros Oriental or the country for that matter, and Dumaguete City is no exemption.

This was the statement of Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo issued on Thursday as his administration drew flak over the donation of a bus that bore the name of a political slogan he had used during the past elections.

Some city councilors and private citizens are questioning the marking, pointing to government efforts on “Anti-Epal.”

According to Remollo, during his first term as mayor from 1998 to 2001, he had a slogan—Go FAR Dumaguete, which meant to move forward to development.

FAR is the initials of Felipe Antonio Remollo. He also pointed out that Task Force Kasaligan of the late former Dumaguete mayor and subsequently Negros Oriental governor, the late Agustin Perdices, who carried Pundok Kasaligan as his political party name in his time.

Also, Remollo noted that former mayor and now 2nd District Representative Manuel Sagarbarria also formed Task Force SAGARR, which is an acronym for Special Action Group Advocating for Rapid Reforms, the first two syllables of the mayor’s family name.

During his incumbency, Sagarbarria also had a master plan in the field of education and it was called MTS or Maximizing Totality of Skills, while MTS is also the initials of name Manuel Teves Sagarbarria.

Another program is called the Microbial Treated Supplement (MTS), which according to the city agriculture office is now called IPE or Indigenous Productivity Enhancer. IPE is the nickname of the new Mayor Felipe Antonio “Ipe” Remollo.

The change from MTS to IPE is confirmed by agricultural technician Philip Altamarino, who is at the same time the organic agriculture focal person and one of the supervising technicians in the production of organic fertilizer known as IPE.

Altamarino disclosed the organic fertilizer has the same component that only the name was changed. Target production of IPE fertilizer is 300 bags a day at 50 kilos per bag, that will be given to every farmer or anybody for free. At present, it has stocks of 600 bags of IPE fertilizer ready for dispersal for farmers in Dumaguete.

Meanwhile, farmers in Dumaguete are expected to receive awards during the regional awarding ceremonies on October 20, 2016 at the Bayfront Hotel in Cebu.

Altamarino said the regional achievers include Jessie Ogahayon of Camanjac as outstanding organic farmer, Crysline Catan as outstanding coconut farmer and the outstanding 4H club comes from barangay Cantil-e. (FREEMAN)