Displaced vendors to get P5T each as financial aid

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 is giving P5,000 each as cash assistance to 700 sidewalk vendors in Cebu City who were displaced by the road clearing operations.

Daisy Lor, head of the crisis intervention division, said 460 vendors had already claimed their financial aid as of Tuesday last week. Lor said the remaining beneficiaries should claim their money within this week otherwise it will go back to the national treasury.

"Dapat within the week  makuha na na nila ang kwarta otherwise mabalik na sa among national office kay naa pud mi deadline to liquidate,"  Lor told The Freeman yesterday.

She said the DSWD-7 has allocated P3.5 million as cash assistance for the affected sidewalk vendors.

Lor said the cash assistance was made possible upon the initiative of Senator Bong Go.

In a statement, DSWD-7 said the amount was allocated by the DSWD to help the sidewalk vendors affected by the demolition conducted by the Cebu City government in compliance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to clear the public roads and sidewalks of obstructions.

The initial payout was led by Mayor Edgardo Labella and DSWD-7 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.

"It’s not only about political will but we should have also mercy and compassion,” said Labella.

Geamala said she was happy to answer the request of the city government for assistance to the displaced vendors.

Meanwhile, DSWD-7 has warned the public about people misrepresenting as DSWD personnel allegedly bringing with them two kinds of recruitment forms. The forms allegedly bear the Malasakit Center logo and the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte or MRRD logo.

Based on the information gathered by DSWD-7, each recruit is required to pay P100 as registration.

Geamala said the DSWD-7 has nothing to do with the said fraudulent activity. She urged the public to be vigilant and immediately report to the police if anyone will approach them using the said modus. (FREEMAN)