The Provincial Board has turned down a request of Governor Roel Degamo for an authority to sign an agreement with the Negros Oriental Culture and Arts Foundation Inc.(NOCAFI) after learning that it is not an accredited organization of the province.
NOCAFI is group tasked by Governor Degamo to handle and manage this year’s Buglasan Festival in October. The foundation will be chaired by former Board Member Mariant Escano-Villegas.
According to Board Member Erwin Michael Macias, under government regulations, all organizations engaged in government projects should be accredited by the local government unit.
The memorandum of agreement can only be signed after the accreditation of NOCAFI will be approved by the provincial board.
Board Member Macias said they agreed to return the request and asked the Governor to make a request for an accreditation of NOCAFI. Under the proposed agreement, the provincial government will release P3 million for the Buglasan Festival activities.
Macias said NOCAFi was created after the Negros Oriental Business Development Foundation allegedly failed to complete its liquidation of the disbursements during the Buglasan Festival last year.
NOBDF and the Buglasan Committee were tasked to manage the finances during the Buglasan Festival in Negros Oriental.
BM Macias said they are trying to follow government procedures after Department of Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad strictly ordered all foundations and organizations engaged in government projects to liquidate before they can engaged into another transactions. (PNA/Maricar Aranas)