Tacloban City (11 October) -- Secretary Rolando G. Andaya of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), is scheduled to arrive today in Tacloban City, DBM RO 8 reported.

Director Imelda Laceras said that Secretary Andaya is expected to deliver a message at the Orientation Seminar on Procurement Service Depot and PX Commissary at the Kanhuraw Convention Center.

DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya stresses a point during the briefing on the operations of the PX Commissary attended by gov't employees and LGUs at Kanhuraw Convention Center, Oct. 11. Looking are LTO regional director Rene Aguilos, RD Imelda Laceras (DBM) and Tacloban city mayor Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

This activity will be participated in by the administrative officers, BAC chairmen and Presidents of the employees cooperatives or associations coming from the different national government agencies and from the local government units all over the Region. The Orientation/Update of Procurement Services Depot jointly sponsored by DBM RO8 and REAL.

DBM 8 Director Imelda Laceras, in a talk with PIA said that Secretary Andaya is also set to formally open the DBM RO8 PX Commissary at 10:00 o'clock in the morning at the DBM Regional Office 8 at Marasbaras, Tacloban City.

Furthermore, Director Laceras informed that at 1:30 in the afternoon, Secretary Andaya will also formally open the Department of Health Region 8 PX Commissary at Candahug, Palo, Leyte.

The PX Commissary which is called the "Tindahan ng Pampublikong Manggagawa" has been conceptualized to form part of the non-wage benefits being offered by the Arroyo Administration to the government service providers, Director Laceras revealed.

DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya (4th right) answers media during a presscon held during the launching of the DBM RO8-PX Commissary. Also present are (l-r) PIA-8 regional director Olive Tiu, moderator, USec. Mario Relampagos, DBM-8 regional director Imelda Laceras, ASec. Eduardo Opida (partly hidden) and Estanislao Granados, procurement service executive director. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

She added that the PX Commissary which is conceptualized to be managed by the Employees Cooperatives or Associations will make available to the government employees lower-priced basic commodities such as grocery items and common-used office supplies and equipments. The PX Commissary aims to augment the purchasing power of fixed-income earners particularly the government employees.

It is the employees associations or cooperatives which will procure the items from the Procurement Depot and will sell these to the employees through the PX Commissary in the respective agencies).