EDITORIAL - No more cash assistance

As far as Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is concerned, the city is no longer giving cash assistance to the barangays for the second half of this month, even as the city is under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine.

According to the mayor the city has already provided enough of that form of aid to the barangays.

“I think the aid we gave is already enough,” Labella was quoted as saying in a report.

According to the mayor, last March when the quarantine began, cash aid amounting to P250 million was distributed to the barangay captains of the top 10 most populated barangays in the city, each barangay receiving around P3 million each. The rest of the city barangays got P1 million to P2 million, depending on their population.

This was what the city considered the first round of aid. For the second round, the city gave another P1 million to each barangay.

The city has 80 barangays in all, both in the lowlands and the mountains.

“So far, morag ensakto na to. Ato g’yung gihangyo ang atong mga kapitan nga kaning P1 million ayohon ni ninyog hatag. Kay total naa pa man tong atong gipanghatag nga mga sinako nga mga bugas,” he added in the same report.

While others may have adverse reactions to this announcement, they shouldn’t be too quick to complain. The fact remains that the city has indeed extended help to those who needed it these past months we have been under quarantine.

Another fact people also have to appreciate is that the city doesn’t have infinite resources. While it is true that Cebu City may be among the richest in the country, in fact the fourth after Makati, Manila, and Pasig, according to Commission on Audit reports, it cannot afford to be always giving financial assistance to the barangays until the crisis ends.

Let’s us not forget that the city government is also a victim in this pandemic crisis. Like many businesses it has also lost income and personnel. Like many families it is also stretching its resources to the limit. Let the barangays take care of any financial needs its constituents may have, at least until month’s end. Who knows? There might be good news after July.