Hotel: "VANDALISM" wrong term Lapu SKs didn't wreck room during congress

CEBU, Philippines - The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Lapu-Lapu City yesterday clarified reports some of their members who joined the SK Central Visayas Regional Congress in Dumaguete City allegedly vandalized the room they were staying in.

SKF-Lapu-Lapu City President Frances Nicole Balao, in an interview with The FREEMAN said no vandalism happened, in fact, the hotel management has apologized for using the wrong term.

Balao said it is true that their members left marks and stains in the pillow cases and bed sheets but these were accidental because of the henna tattoos they had.

She said the members staying in this room at the fourth floor got their tattoos during the welcome dinner. When they went to sleep the tattoos had not totally dried up yet and left imprints in the pillowcases and bed sheets.

When the alleged “vandalism” was reported, she immediately checked the pillow cases and the bed sheets and confronted the hotel management.

“When I saw the pillow cases, I asked the hotel personnel if they consider it as vandalism because for us it is not. It was just the only the tattoo na nipilit sa bed sheets kay wala nauga,” Balao said.

She said she already explained this to the organizing committee, of which she is also a member.

She further clarified that there were no bottles of vodka in that room.

Balao said she is very disappointed because the congress, that just culminated yesterday, was supposed to teach the SK leaders about their right to participate in governance and nation building amidst the ongoing debate whether or not to abolish the SK.

She said the Lapu-Lapu City delegation even earned a lot of praise for the discipline they showed for the duration of the congress.

“We even received commendation because of our presentation and for our discipline because we came to the venue early and we saw to it that we have attended all seminars,” Balao said.

She and the Lapu-Lapu City government were very disappointed at the wrong report which they fear might create a bad impression against the youth leaders and might have demoralized her fellow SK members.

Lapu-Lapu City sent 50 SK chairpersons as official delegates to the regional congress. They are scheduled to return home today.

Balao is the member of the Regional Board and Public Relations Office for the Whole Visayas in the National Board.

Last Saturday, the hotel where the participants of the congress were housed, reported some SK officials from Amlan, Negros Oriental, were caught having a pot session. The hotel also reported that the room where four SK officials from Lapu-Lapu City stayed in was vandalized.

The Regional Council is now conducting an investigation into the pot session incident. —/BRP (FREEMAN)