Opposition not blocking city’s livelihood program

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella denied Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s accusation that the opposition is starting to stop the implementation of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in the city.

Labella, who is the top elected official affiliated with Barug Team Rama Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino Laban, said he doesn’t have the authority to stop it because SLP is a national project.

“On the sustainable livelihood program, I think the mayor is mistaken.  Murag nasayop siguro ang mayor, who am I to stop it?...No one, not even Secretary Dino (Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Michael Lloyd Dino) can stop it because it is a program set by the national government,”  he told reporters yesterday.

Osmeña had earlier said the opposition is starting to block the program when a report surfaced that Labella is worried that the SLP will be tainted with one’s political interest.

SLP is a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Services intended for individuals who don’t have a viable source of income.  The program was implemented with the help of the city government.

Labella said he has been supportive of the implementation of the livelihood program because it would help the underprivileged to do business out of the cash aid amounting to P10,000 per beneficiary.

He emphasized his only concern that SLP should not be used as a political tool of local officials especially right now that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are near.

“Mao na akong usa ka concern nga I am just reminding unta during the election period dili lang unta i-distribute, either way wala man ta kibaw kinsa ng mga beneficiaries kay masakyan unya sa politiko,” Labella said.

Labella shared with Osmeña’s sentiments that the releasing of cash aid should be stopped temporarily to shoot down speculation that it will be used as strategy to further officials’ political agenda.

“Well, of course I share with the sentiments of the mayor nga because of the election period it might be suspect bitaw nga it can be used for political purposes,” he said.

He added as long as it will not be tainted with political agenda, he is in favor that the implementation would continue.

“For as long as legal requirements provided under the program are already complied with and I hope nga dili masakyan sa politika kay kani para mani sa kabos nato nga kaigsuonan nga matagaan og kahigayonan nga makakita og panginabuhian,” Labella added.

Earlier, Rizalina Patindol, SLP regional program coordinator, said the program will not be tainted with any political agenda of the officials for they have followed the implementing guidelines.

“We don’t receive any communication to stop us the implementation,” Patindol told The FREEMAN.

Records show that there are at least 67,000 identified eligible beneficiaries under the program in Cebu City. — GAN (FREEMAN)