Again on the prowl, nosy Tarsee sniffed out the Department of Labor and Employment which celebrated its 89th founding anniversary last 6 December with a big bang, so to speak after agency officials splurged for the "prioritized" occasion.

No other than Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma demonstrated full support to the celebration, directing DoLE offices and its attached agencies to raise a total of P8 million for merry-making.

In a memorandum dated 6 December, Laguesma said the amount is for the anniversary activities, including expenses for a press conference and farming out of press releases.

Laguesma's letter said the budget was also meant to finance the eucharistic celebration, entertainment, mobilization, logistics, security and safety, physical arrangement, food, and other related expenses for the event.

Of the P8 million allocation, Laguesma wanted P6.75 million to come from the Office of the Secretary, P100,000 from the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, P200,000 from the National Labor Relation Commission and another P200,000 from the Occupational Safety and Health Center.

Fundraising

Other agencies were also ordered to contribute funds for the anniversary activities: Institute for Labor Studies, P50,000; National Wages and Productivity Commission, P100,000; Professional Regulation Commission, P200,000; Employees Compensation Commission, P200,000; and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, P200,000.

Based on the memorandum, the expenses for security and safety were assigned to the NCMB and the NLRC while the decoration was delegated to OSHC.

The ILS, NWPC, PRC, ECC and TESDA were tasked to shoulder the cost of food and rentals for the venue and sound system.

Laguesma also sought cash prizes for dance, singing, and TikTok contest winners during the festive gathering of DoLE executives and employees.

Held at the Philippine International Convention Center on 8 November, the costly anniversary celebration was DoLE's priority in recent weeks.

P10-M vanishes

In a different party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas is on a frantic search for a supposed P10 million missing fund.

In a 17 December memorandum that nosy Tarsee nearly munched on, PFP NCR secretary general Jose Wilfredo Baliao recounted to PFP national secretary general Thompson Lantion, his meeting with ejected member, former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez.

According to Baliao, Rodriguez raised a P10 million reimbursement that Lantion made supposedly to cover the expenses incurred for the party.

"The said amount was allegedly given to you and Atty. George Briones by Atty. Rodriguez," Baliao wrote.

He added as secretary general of the party in the NCR, I believe "we have the right to know the truth. Thus, if this is true, you have the moral obligation to declare this to the party including an accounting of the same."

For two diverse reasons, nosy Tarsee concluded that expensive parties suck to the high heavens.