From P10,000 to P20,000: Tom mulls increasing cash aid to fire victims

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is planning to increase the financial assistance to fire victims in the city from P10,000 to P20,000.

During the distribution of cash aid to fire victims yesterday, Osmeña announced such plan, adding that his office is now working for its implementation.

"We will process that. We will double everything," he told reporters in an ambush interview.

When asked why, Osmeña said the city even gave away money to employees who were not directly hit by calamities.

He was referring to City Hall employees who received P20,000 calamity assistance in 2013 under the leadership of former mayor Michael Rama after the 7.2-magnitude quake and supertyphoon Yolanda.

 "Because the City Hall employees, just by being here in City Hall during typhoon, they will get P20,000. What about these people? Mahurot ilang balay. Unlike sa City Hall employees who get P20,000, sila nahurot ang ilang balay P10,000 ra," Osmeña said.

Executive assistant to the mayor Bimbo Fernandez said Osmeña's office has yet to send an inquiry letter to the Office of the President if the mayor can implement the increase through an executive order.

He added that he will also check the existing ordinance, budget allocation and other aspects for the planned increase.

Department of Social Welfare and Services head Lea Japson said her office will just wait for the executive order.

All financial assistance to fire victims is charged to the city's calamity fund, according to Japson.

Sought for comment, Councilor Jose Daluz III said he will support such plan of the mayor.

Daluz chairs the City Council's committee on social services.

Yesterday, the City Hall distributed P10,000 in cash to at least 157 victims of fire in barangays Capitol Site, Lorega-San Miguel and Suba.

Japson said fire hit the barangays a few months ago, but the cash aid was released only yesterday because of the system in releasing.

"Karon namo nahatag (cash aid), na-timing nga nadungan. Nabalik ang payroll type, isa ra ang mga ngan, pirma sa payroll, but there was a report sa COA (Commission on Audit) dili puwede ang payroll type sa paghatag sa assistance," she explained.

The DSWS then switched from the payroll system, which delayed the cash aid release, to giving each claimant a voucher, she said.

The 144 families affected by last Tuesday's fire in Barangay Suba, according to Japson, were not included in the distribution yesterday since her office will still process it after the validation.

Meanwhile, city's Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor head Genevieve Alcoseba said her office and the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will conduct clearing operation in the fire-stricken area.

She said the city owns the lot but awarded it to the individuals occupying it through city's Slum Improvement and Resettlement program.

"Naka-home lots na man 'na. Ang isa sa target is pathways nga original  nga size kay 1.5 meter, so tungod sa encroachment, 1 meter na lang, so atong i-restore ang 1.5 meter," she said.

According to her, the city government has already established a pathway but be-neficiaries encroached on it.

With this, she said DWUP will restore the established pathway.

Alcoseba said her office will also continue validating the original beneficiaries of the home lots. (FREEMAN)