Capitol gives aid to Bantayan folk

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and the Provincial Board members gave financial aid for the development of the towns of Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos.

Each town received P2.9 million of financial assistance from the Cebu Province.

A sum of P1.3 M of the amount was allocated specifically for the towns’ development projects while P2.2 M will be used for socio cultural activities.

This also included P392,200 of indemnity assistance by the province to farmers whose production have been adversely affected by the dry season.

At least P3.38 M of subsidy was also provided by the Cebu Province to small and medium businesses in Madridejos.

The financial aid was sourced from the supplemental budget approved last month where local government units’ subsidy was allocated P269,596,900.

In her speech during the turning over of the assistance held at the Bantayan Multi-Purpose Building, Garcia said her administration sees no political colors and that the distribution of subsidy would be strictly non-partisan.

Aside from the turning over of financial assistance, provincial government-led medical missions were also conducted in the three Bantayan towns during the governor’s two-day visit.

The province also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with 4th District Congressman Janice Salimbangon for the Benhur Health Card Medical Assistance which aims to subsidize less-advantaged residents of the fourth district for their medical needs.

Salimbangon will allocate P6 million from her Local Government Support Fund for the Cebu-Provincial Hospital in Bogo City, Daanbantayan District Hospital and the Bantayan District Hospital.

The allocation shall be directed to a trust fund between the Province of Cebu and the Office of the 4th District Representative.

Patients may avail of financial assistance amounting to P50,000 for major operations and surgeries, P20,000 for hospitalization or P10,000 for out patients.

Garcia also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) for the development of the Bantayan Island Airport to meet the requirements for community airports set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The province has set aside P94,448,419.29 for the construction of a Portland Cement Concrete Pavement runway and its surrounding fence. The funding from MCIAA will be invested for the extension of the airport’s current runway and its surrounding fence. — GAN (FREEMAN)