Gwen giving donation directly to T. Padilla

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said it is okay for the Cebu City government to extend assistance to Daanbantayan town as long as the city has sufficient funds.

And because the city is giving the P500,000 directly to Daanbantayan, she also said she is coursing her P5 million donation to the T. Padilla fire victims through the barangay captain instead of through Cebu City.

This she said after learning that Mayor Michael Rama is open to extending financial assistance to Daanbantayan town for their Haladaya Festival after the provincial government refused to do so.

The advice to give financial assistance to Daanbantayan town also came from Rep. Tomas Osmeña after learning that the governor scolded Daanbantayan Mayor Luisa Loot after she asked for assistance for the festival.

Daanbantayan failed to join the Capitol’s Pasigarbo sa Sugbo festival held earlier this month.

Earlier, the governor announced that she will give P5 million to the fire victims which will be coursed through the city government.

“Mao bitaw nga nakahuna-huna na lang sad ko nga kadtong akong itabang tingali sa mga nabiktima sa sunog sa T. Padilla mas kahibawo man nuon ang barangay kon asa igastoato na lang sad idirekta sa barangay kay direktahanaynaman kaha ta, P5 million ra nuon to P500,000ila, akoa P5 million.Tugbanganay man kaha ni, siguraduhon ta lang nga igo-igo atong bala,” she said.

The governor added that before Rama extends financial assistance to Daanbantayan he should think about whether or not it belongs to his jurisdiction and if the city has more pressing needs.

“Kana all of the above tungod lang kay gimanduan, abi man nako ug ang mayor maoy modesider sa dakbayan,” Garcia said, reacting to talk it was Osmeña who told Rama to give money to Daanbantayan.

She also said she was open to negotiations for the province-owned lots in the city.

But the governor said that if Rama is not consistent with his stand and will only kept on talking and talking she doubts an agreement could come up.

Meanwhile, the governor also said yesterday that she already had a talk with One Cebu Party officials Rep. Benhur Salimbangon and Rep. Pablo John Garcia about the expulsion of Loot from the party.

Garcia said that Loot’s announcement was very clear that she no longer believes in the principles of the party.

An expulsion is underway against Loot after she got into an argument with Garcia after she was berated for her failure to join the Pasigarbo festival. (THE FREEMAN)