CEBU, Philippines — “I think the aid we gave is already enough.”
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella had this to say when asked if the city government would still give cash assistance to the barangays now that the city is relegated to modified enhanced community quarantine.
The barangays, he said, cannot expect any financial aid from the city during the second half of this month. At the same time, he said that not all locally stranded individuals (LSIs) will get the exact amount of P5,000 in cash assistance as earlier promised.
In an interview over dyLA, the mayor disclosed the recent release of financial assistance of P1 million to each of the 80 barangays. It was the city’s second round of financial aid for the barangays and was intended for the purchase of rice and food packs for residents.
The budget was sourced from this year’s annual budget under the allocation on aid to the barangays.
The first aid, amounting to P250 million, was distributed last March to the captains of the top 10 most populated barangays in the city, receiving P3 million each. Other barangays got P1 million to P2 million, depending on their population.
Now that the city is under MECQ until the end of July, Labella said he thinks the aid given already suffices.
“So far, morag ensakto na to. Ato gyung 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 said.
Labella thanked all “well-meaning friends,” including Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who donated about 600 sacks of rice, and Senator Bong Go, who is set to donate to the city as well.
Help for areas under lockdown
Labella, however, said the city will continue to assist areas on lockdown.
“Nagsige pa ta’g panghatag labi na unya kining mga lugar nga duna ta’y segmental lockdown,” he said.
Labella said sitios, streets or households that will be placed under lockdown are now being assessed by the Emergency Operations Center.
“While i-reopen nato ang mga lugar nga walay kaso, at the same time, ang mga lugar nga household, street, o sitio maoy atong ibutang sa atong gitawag nga segmental lockdown lang,” he said.
The mayor also said that all donations are properly accounted for, although he still does not know the donor of the controversial P2.5 million worth of “tuob” kits distributed to the barangay isolation centers earlier.
Stranded individuals
Labella said he will also tackle the problem faced by locally stranded individuals. He said there are about 16,000 of them in the city, 4,000 more than the figure earlier revealed by IATF Task Force Cebu overseer Sec. Roy Cimatu.
“Usa na sa atong gitan-aw, I will be very particular about that kay, sus, ang LSIs nato, pila ka libo ni ang mogawas, 16,000 man siguro, unya lahi pud tong mosulod diri. I will coordinate with the IATF karon kon ato nabang mapalihok ang atong LSIs,” said Labella.
Many LSIs said they did not receive the promised and reported P5,000 assistance for them.
Labella, in a June 25 press conference, said the city needs to check first if the LSIs are qualified before they be given aid.
“Actually dili gyud sad ingon nga naa. Dili gyud sa atong ihatag P5,000. Ato sang tan-awn kung qualified gyud sila. Naa man gu’y mokalit la’g ingog LSI sila. Naay mo-avail. Let’s be prudent, tan-awn gyud og pag-ayo,” he said.
Labella said LSIs will get aid depending on their needs.
City Councilor Joel Garganera has been tasked to meet with these stranded individuals and separately with shipping owners in a bid to help resolve LSIs’ concerns. JMD (FREEMAN)