MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo yesterday said that since last year, he had put a stop to the alleged practice of “pasaload” or the transfer of mobile phone credits of agency officials to private individuals.
In its 2009 report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said some PCG officers, who have postpaid mobile phone lines charged to the PCG, reportedly gave large amounts of pasaload to private individuals.
But Tamayo, who assumed the top post in 2008, said he had already ordered the disconnection of these postpaid lines since the last quarter of 2009, upon learning about the practice.
About seven cellular phone numbers were disconnected, he said.
“I might also give instructions to my people to check whom these cell phone numbers were assigned to,” he added.
“As of now, we are only maintaining two postpaid numbers. One is assigned with our Action Center and the second is with our Public Information Office (PIO). Even I use a prepaid number and just buy P300 worth of cell card. I am not fond of postpaid, and we have to show leadership by example,” the PCG chief said.
He said that the maritime agency could not let go of the two mobile phone numbers assigned to the Action Center and PIO because these numbers are crucial in the conduct of their function, which is to respond immediately to maritime incidents.
The COA report mentioned one particular cell phone number, 0917-7243682, assigned to the PCG’s Action Center, the last seven digits of which correspond to the letters PCG-DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) in the keypad of a mobile phone unit. The PCG is an attached agency of the DOTC.
“This is our hot line number so it is only natural that it would have high cell phone charges, that’s why we have to use a postpaid line for this. It cannot be prepaid because we cannot afford to have our communication disconnected. The lives of people are at stake here,” Tamayo said.
The Action Center is tasked to receive complaints and reports of incidents and the office would often have to make return calls or relay information to the PCG men who are out in the different districts and stations all over the country.
There may even be instances when the Action Center would be called upon to transfer mobile credits to their field personnel.
The Action Center’s mobile phone bill reportedly amounted to P30,000 monthly.
“Same case with the PIO since it is also expected to deliver updates on maritime incidents,” Tamayo said.
PCG spokesman Lt. Commander Arman Balilo said the pasaload issue is an old one that has already been addressed by Tamayo.
“The COA is only asking us to account for P7,000. As for my office, I only consume P2,000 a month in cellphone load. The PIO serves as a feedback mechanism. It also receives complaints and reports of maritime incidents,” said Balilo.