SATELLITE OFFICE. Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Friday (Feb. 2, 2024) said they will establish a satellite office in Antique province to bring their services closer to the people. In an interview, he said the office would receive applications for clearances and the filing of complaints against government officials and the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Network (SALN) of government employees. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – An Ombudsman satellite office will open in this capital town of Antique in August this year, bringing its services closer to Antiqueños.
“We are bringing the Office of the Ombudsman services closer to the people,” said Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who is in the province on Friday for the birthday celebration of Governor Rhodora Cadiao.
Martires said they are just waiting for the completion of the City Mall at San Jose de Buenavista to house their satellite office.
He said the health pandemic stalled their plan to establish satellite offices in every province in the country.
“The satellite office in Antique will be receiving applications for clearances and the filing of complaints against government officials and Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Network (SALN) of government employees,” he said.
They have an existing satellite office in Iloilo City, serving other provinces in Panay Island.
Martires said opening a satellite office in Antique and the other provinces in the country will prevent the volume of applications for clearances from ballooning.
“In the Ombudsman central office in Manila, as of now, there are around 11,000 applications for clearances, while in the Visayas in Cebu, there are around 4,000,” he said. (PNA)
