Brgy chiefs complain about Capitol cash aid

CEBU, Philippines - Some barangay captains complained that not all tanods received the cash aid distributed by acting governor Agnes Magpale.

Paul Alcordo, of Guadalupe, Carcar City, brought up the complaints of his fellow barangay captains who, according to him, were dismayed by how the present management of the Capitol distributed the cash aid that was started by suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

“Asa man paingon ang ubang kwarta nga budgeted naman ni? Di na husto ang management diha. (Where did the money go? This is already budgeted. Something’s wrong with the management),” Alcordo told The FREEMAN.

Of the 20 tanods, Alcordo said that only seven from his barangay received the cash aid in the amount of P1,500 each.

Alcordo said that the same also happened to the rest of the 15 barangays in Carcar City wherein not all the 20 tanods in each barangay got the cash aid.

“We relied on the list submitted by barangay captains,” Magpale said.

Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Cristina Giango, confirmed that the number of tanods given cash aid was based on the list submitted to her office.

“Ipatan-aw lang sa ila ang listahan nga ilang gi-submit. (Just let them check the list that they submitted),” Giango said.

But Alcordo said he did not submit a list of his barangay tanods since nobody asked for it.  Alcordo said that he submitted once during the time of Garcia.

“Nganong wa man sila mo-coordinate sa barangay, mura man og naay palusot diha. (Why did they not coordinate with the barangay? There seems to be something suspicious going on there),” Alcordo said.

Magpale distributed the cash aid promised by Garcia before her suspension to barangay health workers, tanods, barangay animal health aides, day care workers and barangay nutrition scholars.

Meanwhile, businessman Glenn Anthony Soco, is eyeing to increase the honorarium and cash assistance of BHWs in the Province of Cebu.

Soco, who is running for vice governor against Magpale, said he feels the hardship of the BHWs in delivering services to the constituents as he is going around up to the mountain and remote areas.

Once elected, Soco promised to include in the annual budget the cash assistance intended for barangay volunteer workers and to immediately release it at the end of the year.

Last year’s release of cash aids was delayed due to the suspension of Garcia while Magpale, who assumed office on December 19, 2012, was still looking for means to get the funds. —(FREEMAN)