City Hall to Zapatera: Work on P1million aid

CEBU, Philippines —  Residents of Barangay Zapatera in Cebu City have not received the aid the city government has disbursed to the barangay since the city was placed under enhanced community quarantine and City Hall warned the captain may face charges for the delay.

The legal office issued a demand letter to Zapatera Captain Francisco Benedicto for allegedly failing to act on the financial assistance the city has given the barangay amounting to P1 million.

“Should he continue to refuse to render service to that effect, the City of Cebu will be constrained to charge him for violation of RA 3019 otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 11469 otherwise known as Bayanihan Heal as One Act,” said city attorney Rey Gealon.

The city gave financial assistance to its 80 barangays when an enhanced community quarantine status was declared in late March. The 10 barangays with the highest population received P3 million; the next 10 barangays received P2 million; and the remaining barangays received P1 million, including Zapatera.

But councilors of Zapatera complained that no supplemental relief assistance has been released to residents in the barangay because Benedicto allegedly refused to utilize the money.

Gealon said 80 percent of the P1 million is supposed to be used to purchase food while 20 percent is supposed to be allocated for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies for barangay frontliners.

“In the spirit of transparency and public accountability, and considering that a month has already lapsed since the money was given, the mayor has now even asked all barangay captains to submit their financial report on the purchases made out of that money given to all 80 barangays, ranging from one million pesos to three million pesos, depending on the number of people residing in that barangay,” Gealon said.

Explanation

Benedicto told The Freeman he agrees that the financial subsidy should have been released the soonest possible time but there are technical requirements that need to be met and his fellow officers in the barangay have not given him the papers to sign.

He also belied allegations he has not been acting on the aid.

“I do not agree with their allegation that there has been a continuing inaction and gross neglect on my part to comply with the requirements for the release of the financial subsidy granted by the city government to Barangay Zapatera worth P1 million pesos mainly because of a failure on my part to comply with the requirement for Fidelity Bond for barangay captain from the Bureau of Treasury,” Benedicto said.

He said they have met with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on April 30 to discuss the matter.

In the meeting, DILG’s Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero was informed that Zapatera does not have an approved barangay budget for 2020, which is required before a barangay can start disbursing funds.

It was reportedly agreed that Zapatera needs to do two things: Come up with an approved budget for 2020 and approve a supplemental budget to include the release of the P1 million financial subsidy.

It was also agreed that Benedicto will approve the barangay’s 2020 budget to fast-track the release of the financial subsidy, granting that it will be prepared and presented the soonest time by the Barangay Committee on Appropriations (CCA).

Benedicto said they have already approved the barangay budget on May 4, pending the actual presentation of a working budget to the next council session.

“Now, nangayo ko nila (barangay council) og supplemental budget and this will be based sa supplemental budget in the past budget and they cannot produce and ako, I will just wait when everything is finished sa ilang preparation. I will just sign; the barangay captain will just sign,” he said.

(I asked them for a supplemental budget, which will be based on the supplemental budget in the past budget and they could not produce. Me, I will just wait when their preparation is finished. I will just sign; the barangay captain will just sign)

Benedicto said the problem lies in the presentation of budget and the disaster funds, as well as the supplemental budget.

“I am the captain, it’s my duty and responsibility. Kailangan madali kay di ko ganahan malangan kay akoa nang responsibility nga muhatag sa mga tao. So mahibawan gyud kung kinsa man gyud naglangan. Ako ba or sila ba? Asa man ko mupirma? Naa bay permahanan? Asa man na gikan? That should be prepared by the secretary and the treasurer, I-present sa ako, then I’ll sign,” Benedicto added.

(I am the captain. It’s my duty and responsibility. This has to be done fast because it is my responsibility to give it to the people. Now we see who really is causing delay. Is it me or them? Where will I sign? Is there a document that I can sign? Where does it come from? That should be prepared by the secretary and treasurer and presented to me so I can sign)

Once the budget is presented next week, the barangay will then be able to utilize the money.

“Everything is planned. I have a very good plan. I am ready. Ang ako lang mga sakop ang wa ko kasabot ngano dili nila mahatag akong gikinahanglan (I just don’t understand why my officers cannot give me what I need). Just show me the papers and I will sign it. If you can produce it now then I will sign it now,” Benedicto said.

Barangay Zapatera has around 4,000 residents.

Benedicto said that once the funds are released, the barangay will immediately look for suppliers for the goods and PPE for its frontliners.

The ECQ status remains in Cebu City until May 31, 2020.  JMO (FREEMAN)