Teachers must cross a sea to get their pay

By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—With no choice but to comply, more than 100 teachers on Sibuyan Island, Romblon, on Saturday made the long trip to the province's main island, chipping in for the P80,000 boat rental, to enroll in the Department of Education's (DepEd) automated payroll system.

Nazarine Romano, principal at Don Carlos Mejias Municipal High School in San Fernando town on the island, renewed the teachers' appeal for any government service bank to install an automated teller machine (ATM) on Sibuyan.

This would spare the teachers the from risks and the expense of having to cross the Sibuyan Sea just to get their wages — a trip that in good weather takes at least six hours one way.

“We are asking the DepEd to please facilitate the installation of an ATM in San Fernando,” Romano told the Inquirer on Saturday.

He corresponded with the Inquirer via text while on the long sea trip to Odiongan town on Tablas Island, where the 110 teachers had arranged to go to the local Land Bank branch on a weekend to open ATM accounts to receive their salaries. An earlier batch of teachers had left Sibuyan on Friday for Tablas, Romano said.


Special boat trips

As the regular trip from San Fernando to Odiongan usually takes several rides by land and sea, the teachers arranged for special direct boat trips, renting two boats for about P750 per passenger to cover the P80,000 fee for both boats.

The regular route, which includes long jeepney and boat rides, costs at least P1,000 both ways, said former San Fernando Mayor Nanette Tansingco.

The DepEd had long been pushing to automate its payroll system using ATMs to pay the wages of 600,000 employees nationwide. This saves the government the cost of printing and sending out paychecks of P6 a piece.

Regional finance officers for Region IV-B (Mimaropa) have explained that consultations with DepEd personnel on Sibuyan had been held and they promised to facilitate the installation of an ATM on the island.

“The DepEd can save P6 per employee every month, but an ordinary teacher has to spend hundreds just to get their salary,” said Romano.

Tansingco said Sibuyan residents had long been appealing for government banks to establish a presence on the island.

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Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Online ATM Facility Opens Today at PACCI

Today July 28, 2010 is a milestone for PACCI officers and members with the opening of the first online Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facility ever of the cooperative organization located at the PACCI main building on Rizal St., Palompon, Leyte.

The celebration started with a motorcade/parade around town joined by members of the board headed by BOD Chair Regulus P. Diansay and BOD Vice-Chair Alejo E. Ramirez, Officers and staff headed by CEO Aljun R. Arpilleda, and some members. Immediately after the parade a thanksgiving mass was offered and officiated by Fr. Albert Opiniano, parish priest of the Saint Francis Xavier Parish after which a small but hearty salu-salo was  shared by those present.

The highlight of the celebration was the formal opening of the ATM machine where gifts were to be given to the first 60 clients who will avail of the ATM service on the said date.With the opening of the ATM service in the PACCI building, the Philippine National Bank ATM (which often times bog down due to the long lines of customers) would surely be given a respite since a big number of customers will be drawn away to the other ATM machine. 

Hereunder is the Financial Highlights of PACCI's operation as of 2009 as reported during their 35th Annual General Assembly last March 20, 2010 held at the Palompon Social Center, Palompon, Leyte,  . Total loan released during the year amounted to Php 29.30M while total assets at the close of 2009 was Php 98M or an increase of Php 15.51M from the previous years Php82.48M.


Revenue for 2009 was Php 16M from 2008's Php 22M or a decrease of Php 6M, while a big reversal in operating expenses was attained when expenses of Php 22M in 2008 was reduced to Php 15M or a big savings of Php 7M.   

Members will surely appreciate the efforts of management to be abreast of the times by installing this modern facility where even the lowly and illiterate (after some instructions, of course) can use the user friendly ATM machine. Some customers from PNB will surely be pulled away by PACCI to their new facility because of lower minimum and maintaining monthly balance being required from depositors.

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