Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran strongly refuted claims made by vlogger ‘Ajarn Chris’ that red-plate vehicles in Clark were used for leisure or gambling.
In a social media post, Libiran clarified that the vehicles belonged to government employees attending the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) Caravan, a legitimate training program organized by the Association of Local Budget Officers (ALBO) Region III. She stressed that DBM’s role was limited to providing resource speakers, while ALBO handled all logistics, accommodations, and venue arrangements.
“This was a formal training, not a junket,” Libiran said, emphasizing that Widus Hotel was contracted solely for training functions and that its casino was not operational at the time. She added that safeguards were in place to ensure officials did not enter gaming areas.
Calling the viral vlog post “misleading, unfair, and damaging,” Libiran urged its author to take it down or issue a public apology to government employees and institutions affected.
“The NGPA Caravan is part of a nationwide effort to equip public officials with updated procurement rules to ensure every peso of public funds is spent properly and in full compliance with the law. That is the truth,” she asserted.
