In his letter to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial dated May 6, 2011, council chairman Jose T. Limes said if not spared, the library “will suffer irreparable harm to its already tenuously volatile and precariously fragile financial standing.”
He said since the enactment of Public Law 15-120 in Dec. 2007, Joeten-Kiyu library has received about $35,000 of ETC contributions from big and small corporate supporters to support the library’s dwindling local resources.
Limes said the public library council under executive director John Gonzales can never thank these contributors enough for believing in their “noble mission to meet the educational and informational needs of the people, even as far as reaching remote villages through the Bookmobile outreach services.”
“While it may look small at face value, Joeten-Kiyu library’s ETC funds are resources that have become extremely valuable and that we believe have more profound value in terms of their positive impact on our community during these financially challenging times,” Limes said.
He said the library council and management “have meticulously safeguarded these ETC resources, earmarked in our revolving trust fund and spent only on an emergency basis to save them for the rainy days.”
Limes noted that the library had to spend $1,054.12 on fuel for Bookmobile services alone from October 1, 2010 to March 29, 2011.
From October 2010 to the present, Limes said they have already spent 61 percent or $4,740.05 of the $7,750 they received from ETC donations.
Limes said the funds were used to pay for emergency repairs to the library’s damaged compressors and servicing of the air-conditioning units, emergency repair and routine engine servicing for their old vehicles, and for plumbing and maintenance repair costs since the Department of Public Works is unable to help them due to staff shortage.
Limes said as an entity eligible to receive ETC cash contributions from the community, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library can continue providing uninterrupted services to the people.
Introduced by Sen. Juan M. Ayuyu, Ind-Rota, Senate Bill 17-68 will suspend the ETC during periods of government austerity. It was passed by lawmakers despite widespread opposition of private and public schools, educators, the business community and other members of the public.
The bill, which Fitial described a “good idea,” is already at his office.
