Anomalous Walkpath - Opposition | Saint Louis University - Baguio City Student News and Updates

Jul

2010

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In the said press release, it was stated that “1) Congress [of Louisians] disapproved the budget and its corresponding proposed Php 400,000 budget; 2) no public bidding for the project occurred; 3) the project is deemed to be grossly overpriced; and 4) it should be the SLU administration who should shoulder expenses for the infrastructure such as the shaded walk/walkpath project-a project that would become the property of the SLU admin [istration].”

Retraction

According to Mike Flores, the project was indeed approved by the Congress and was duly signed by the SSC officers. The SSC budget proposal was signed on September 20, 2007. However, on December 22, 2007 a letter of retraction was issued by Veloria, together with two other SSC officers, namely, Paul Christian Cortez, Secretary for Finance and Valerie Marcius Aquino, Secretary for Audit. In the letter, the three officers stated three reasons for their retraction: first, no canvass forms were attached to the said resolution; second, no amount was indicated in the resolution form; and lastly, the project had not been referred for concurrence of the Congress of Louisians. The letter further stated that the three “regret having signed a blank resolution as alterations may be made as to the exact amount of funds to be released.” They also maintained that “Accountability and transparency should always be taken into utmost consideration in all [their] undertakings.” However, the letter of retraction came too late since the project had already been implemented on December 15, 2007. Also, it should have been accomplished through a resolution and not just a “letter”.

No canvass forms

Regarding Veloria and company’s claim that there were no canvass forms presented, Flores argues that there were actually three canvass forms which were readily available at SSC office since October 23, 2007. The three stated that there were no official SSC canvass forms physically present for transparency purposes, only quotations from three construction firms. However, Flores countered that the quotations can suffice as they are duly authenticated by the construction firms.

Overpricing

In the project proposal of the SSC the walkway/walkpath installation projects an estimated cost of Php 360000. However in the quotations from the three construction firms, Wendelin G. Fernandez quoted a total project cost of Php 404125, Engr. Eleazer C. Demayo estimated the project with Php 443500 and Francisco G. Catalan who priced the project with Php 441950. The walkpath project’s estimated costs sum up to Php 404125. Flores justifies the sum cost by saying that the materials used were of good quality like the polycarbonate roofing and the galvanized iron posts.

SSC vs Admin implementation

About the other argument concerning the funding of the project, Veloria and company reported that such infrastructure projects should be carried out by the school administration and not in anyway funded by the Supreme Student Council. The three stated on their letter of retraction that “the paramount responsibility of the KASAMA/SSC is to protect the rights and welfare of the Louisians. Although the project would benefit fellow Louisians, it is not the student council’s responsibility to construct such infrastructures.” But Flores justifies that such projects could be initiated by the SSC especially since it will benefit the students.

Expulsion of Veloria

Flores expelled Veloria a few weeks after the completion of the said project on the grounds of absences from SSC Execom regular meetings. However, Flores stated in an interview that he did not expel Veloria but the latter removed himself from the SSC by incurring absences. Veloria then stated that he had never been absent on their meetings and Flores does not have valid reasons but “a ploy to effectively remove opposition to the anomalous Shaded Walk Project…” The KASAMA/SSC Constitution and by Laws states that an officer should be removed upon incurring four absences from the regular meetings, which is appointed on Wednesdays. Furthermore, as stated in the

SSC minutes of the meeting, Veloria had in fact incurred four absences which were on September 26, October 24, November 14, and December 12 of 2007.

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elton veloria said:

	bulilikong yang si elton.. sinungaling pa... maybe he wants to be the next president of the SSC. thats why he's doing those things... i wonder what his parents taught him.../her...
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