No less than the Ombudsman of the Philippines, Hon. Atty. Samuel R. Martires who led the opening of
the extension office of the Ombudsman in the Province of Capiz, in Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at the City
Mall along Roxas Avenue, Roxas City, Capiz.
Rev. Fr. Eugene Caldeo Jr, blessed the newly opened Ombudsman Assistance Center (OAC). With Hon.
Martires were other officers of Ombudsman, Hon. Jose M. Balmeo, Jr, Deputy Ombudsman for Military
and other Law Enforcement Offices; Atty. Charlo Salcedo, Regional Director, Regional Office No. 6;
Evangeline G. Nunal, GIO; and Mr. Donald Badoy, Associate Graft Investigation Officer, who will head
the OAC –Capiz; and a representative from the City Mall.
Only members of the local media were invited during the opening rites because the Office evades
political linkage, according to Hon. Martires.
Opening the OAC is now a program of Ombudsman to hasten its services, as well as make the Office
accessible to the people in the province, to avoid hassle and expenses in going to Iloilo or Manila just to
avail of the services of the Office of the Ombudsman, Hon. Martires also said.
OAC – Capiz Hon. Martires likewise said, is the first Center in Western Visayas aside from its present
satellite office in Iloilo. The Center will cater services for clearance application, request for assistance,
filing of Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN), also corruption complaints against public officials.
The next Ombudsman Assistance Center to open is in Kalibo, Aklan, then San Jose in Antique. OAC
operates in key locations across the country, empowering citizens to fight corruption and promote
transparency.
Hon. Martirez begs apology to the concerned individuals who have pending clearance with the
Ombudsman because of some technical problem in their line considering the ballooning number of
applicants to attend to. Presently, there are more than 8,000 pending applicants for Manila alone, while
in Cebu there are 4,000 or more. With the opening of its Assistance Center in the province, Hon.
Martires said, the backlogs in their office will be loosen and will make them render expeditious services
to their clients, as long as the needed requirements from the Commission on Audit are met. Just pay
the application fee amounting to ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PESOS (P150.00) only through GCash, Hon.
Martires advice. *
Caption: Ombudsman Hon. Samuel R. Martires, second from left, and Hon. Jose M. Balmeo, Jr, Deputy
Ombudsman for Military and other Law Enforcement Offices, far right, with Rev. Eugene Caldeo,
center, led the ribbon cutting for the opening of Ombudsman Assistance Center –Capiz at the City Mall,
Roxas Avenue, Roxas City, Janauary 30, 2024.
