Pulso Ilonggo

24/11/2025

Weather update

24/11/2025

Weather update as of 5am November 25,2025

24/11/2025

Weather update as of 9:30 pm Nov.24, 2025

24/11/2025

PRESS RELEASE


Contact: Atty. Cesar Balmaceda
Internal Audit Officer
Provincial Government of Sorsogon
0920 285 3152

SORSOGON EXECS SAY LGU HAS ALREADY COMPLIED WITH COA’S 2021 AOM

The Provincial Government of Sorsogon said that its past and present local executives have already complied with the audit observation memoranda (AOM) issued by the Commission on Audit (COA) in 2021 in connection with projects carried out during the period.

This means that the complaint filed recently against Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who once served as provincial governor, and the province’s present and former officials with the Office of the Ombudsman lacked merit and basis, and at best, a product of politicking and harassment.

In a statement signed by acting Provincial Accountant Sheena Gacosta Credo, Provincial Internal Audit Officer Atty. Cesar Balmaceda, and Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Ron Ely Espinosa, the provincial government said the allegations against present and former local officials, including member of the Bids Awards Committee, failed to verify if the AOM had already been complied with in accordance with the recommendations of the COA.

“These COA reports are from the different Audit Observation Memoranda issued to the officials of the Province of Sorsogon. However, the complainant has not verified if the concerned personnel had satisfactorily complied with the recommendations of the COA with respect to AOMs as reported in COA reports for 2021,” the provincial government said.

“Following the reply, explanations and actions of respondents to the AOMs issued, the COA had not issued any suspension or disallowance to said allegations complained of by Mr. Aceron because the reply, explanations and actions of the respondents complied with the COA’s recommendations as per COA Report 2022,” according to Sorsogon officials. #

15/11/2025

PRESS STATEMENT
14 November 2025

Atty. Ramon S. Esguerra
Counsel for
Senator Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero

Bernardo’s claims against Senator Chiz are not new. These allegations have been denied and and refuted before.

There is no direct evidence presented in the testimony of Bernardo linking Senator Chiz to any criminal act. Speculations and insinuations are not evidence. These are at best hearsay, lack basis, and are self-serving statements that will not stand in any court of law.

We believe that these allegations are merely designed to besmirch and destroy Senator Chiz’s reputation, as well as that of the Senate.

We are confident that the facts and evidence will vindicate Senator Chiz, show that these allegations against him are malicious and baseless, and prove that he is innocent.

13/11/2025

WEATHER UPDATE
as of 12:30 pm

13/11/2025

13/11/2025

Traffic situation as of 9am Jaro plaza Infront of Jaro cathedral church.

12/11/2025

*PRESS RELEASE*

*OFFICE OF SENATOR FRANCIS ‘CHIZ’ G. ESCUDERO*

*CHIZ: INFRA PROJECTS MUST BE BACKED BY FEASIBILITY STUDIES*

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is pushing for the institutionalization of budget transparency and accountability safeguards for all infrastructure projects introduced in the national budget as a way of preventing irregularities and the abuse and misuse of government funds.

To ensure that only government infrastructure projects that are technically and financially viable are included in the national budget, Escudero has filed Senate Bill Number 1461 or the proposed Infrastructure Appropriations Integrity Act.

Under the measure, all infrastructure projects will have to incorporate mechanisms such as station numbers, geotagging, geodetic coordinates, and other technology-based methodologies that will allow anyone to locate these at any time.

“Ang geotagging ay isa sa pinakamahalagang mekanismo para makita natin kung ano ang estado ng isang proyekto—kung may ginagawa ba talaga o naka tengga lang ito habang tuloy-tuloy na nagpapalabas ng pondo ang gobyerno,” Escudero said.

The bill also states that no government infrastructure project should be included in the national budget and implemented unless it has gone through a thorough feasibility study.

The technical and financial bases for the projects, including the detailed unit price analyses, standard cost of materials, and quantity estimates should be properly and accurately documented for the perusal of all, particularly the public.

“This documentation is a requirement and condition sine qua non for inclusion of any infrastructure project in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the General Appropriations Act (GAA). All proposed projects must be vetted otherwise it should not receive a single centavo in public funds,” Escudero said.

Budget splitting or the division of the appropriations for infrastructure projects in phases will also be prohibited for whatever reason.

“Splitting of government contracts has long been prohibited under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Law. This is to prevent the schemes that are intended to circumvent the law and budget policies in order to facilitate corruption,” the former Senate President said.

In the ongoing reviews and investigations being conducted on the government’s flood control programs, several problems were discovered including substandard construction and materials, overpriced procurement, and in some instances the non-existence of projects or what is more commonly referred to as ghost projects.

Escudero recently wrote to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to adopt the transparency and accountability safeguards contained in SBN 1461 as a general provision in the 2026 national budget or as a special provision under specific agency appropriations. * #*

10/11/2025