Senate tackles delayed checks

Three college students attended yesterday’s Senate session during which Senate minority leader Pete P. Reyes expressed anger over the government’s delayed issuance of scholarship checks.

The senator blamed the Babauta administration for the non-issuance of checks on time.

He revealed in an interview Tuesday that students have not been getting their checks for over a month now.

“And the governor is saying he’s for education? Let him show it. Why are students hurting? I’m enraged by this kind of news. I am very upset. These are kids and they are not supposed to be hurt by any politics,” said Reyes.

The minority leader said he is “greatly disappointed” over the management of scholarship funds. He said he has given up on the idea of writing to the governor on the matter “because it’s an exercise in futility.”

“I don’t think the governor is listening to me,” he said.

The minority leader appealed to the media to help him resolve the issue. “Students need to pay their tuition,” he said.

“I just wish that he [Babauta] practices what he preaches. If he is going for education, let him show it.”

He said he learned about the delayed scholarship checks since a week ago in his meetings with students and during his visits to various houses. Reyes is seeking re-election as an independent candidate this year.

The senator said the scholarship fund should not be delayed because it consists of appropriation money and donations, which includes his salary.

The senator, who receives $39,500 annually, said that he has been donating his salary to the scholarship program.

Senate majority leader Paul A. Manglona, a long-time political ally of the governor, said he understands the predicament of the students “but is disturbed over Sen. Reyes’ blame game.”

“I fully understand the students. My disappointment is how the senator uses everything, every issue, for political purposes. To me, doing that here is a waste of time. What he should have done is to pick up the phone and call the Scholarship [Office] and get a response right away,” said Manglona.

The visibly upset Manglona cited the Legislature’s failure to even come up with a new budget for fiscal year 2006.

“It’s Oct. 1 this Saturday and we don’t even have a new budget. Where is the budget? And why don’t I hear anyone complaining, worrying about the budget? The top priority, the main job of the Legislature, is to pass a budget. What the Legislature wants now is to sit back and say, ‘Governor, here, take it. Do what you want and we’ll scream at you later to pay this, pay that.’ That’s dereliction of our duty as elected officials,” said Manglona.

On the release of checks, Manglona said he does not believe that Gov. Juan N. Babauta, who is seeking a second term this year, would actually withhold the issuance of checks.

“Why would he do that? There are people tasked to make sure that scholarship money is released on time,” he said.

After the session yesterday, Manglona said that he had called the CNMI Scholarship Office and learned that the checks are ready to be issued to students.

“I also learned that the checks had already been cut. They’re just waiting for the go-signal from the Treasury to release it. Why it’s being held, let’s ask the Treasury,” he said.

The office of CNMI Treasurer Antoinette Calvo was reached for comments but she was not available. Finance Secretary Fermin Atalig, likewise, could not be reached.

Northern Marianas College students Christy Songao and Therese Babauta said it has been very difficult to go about their schoolwork without their scholarship money. They were supposed to receive $2,100 each per semester. Both are in their second year at the college.

Songao, who is taking up education, said she had to borrow money for her school needs.

“There are many things we do everyday that require cash. We need to buy books, we pay for lab, zeroxing, and the like,” she said.

Babauta, who did not answer if she is related to the governor, said she went to the Senate “to see how they will deal with it.”

Babauta said she is taking up education and liberal arts at the same time at NMC.

Former Scholarship Office chair Roman Benavente said that, although he no longer works for the office, he admitted the delay in the distribution of the checks. He said his own son is a scholarship recipient and it was only last Monday that his son received the check.

Benavente, who is now chair of the Board of Education, said though that, despite the delays, the students still get the money due them.

He added that as parent he is very much aware of the shortcomings of the office and he understands some parents who have been anxious.

Reyes, however, does not accept Benavente’s explanation. He said the government has several expenses associated with education that were rerouted to other projects and that “it has been lying to students” all along.

“It should be a priority. This kind of money should not be reprogrammed anywhere. There’s no reason why they [students] should suffer,” he said.

According to Benavente, Margarita D. Tudela now heads the Scholarship Office. The Saipan Tribune tried to get Tudela’s comments on the issue but she is currently off-island and, according to her son, she would be back on Oct. 7. (With Marconi Calindas)