Capitol fixes Dasig Sugbo card mess

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has admitted that there was a time the Dasig Sugbo cards were not accepted in the supermarkets due to delays on the payment of the provincial government to its partner merchants.

Garcia though assured they have fixed the concern during her meeting with the representatives of the partner merchants including the concerned office of the Capitol.

"The trouble was when they submitted the billings hinay kaayo pag process sa gisubmitan. But we have already fixed that and gi-resume man on that day. That was already been resumed the cheques gipaspasan na. I have taken it out from one unit nga nag-handle nga maoy nakadugay. Because kay in so far as sa pre-audit, we also settle that kay dunay magdugay-dugay didto sa pre-audit," Garcia told reporters.

The governor had a meeting with Gaisano Grand, Metro Gaisano, Prince Warehouse and other partner merchants and supermarkets Thursday last week.

One of the beneficiaries told The Freeman their Dasig Sugbo cards were "rejected" because the Capitol was not able to pay on time.

"Sa Minglanilla Gaisano, Prince Mingla, naa silay stocks pero ilang gi-hold ang Dasig Sugbo kay wala pa man kabayad, puro naman Dasig Sugbo ilang halin walay cash. Mga 3 weeks na ang nilabay taas kaayo ang linya, sige sila'g dawat pero wala man nabayri mao na ila usa gi temporary hold," one of the beneficiaries from Minglanilla said.

Garcia said she understands why their partners temporarily halted accepting the coupon cards since the payables of the Capitol have already reached up to over P80 million

The governor said during their meeting on Thursday that they already signed the cheques for their payables.

As to the long queues at the supermarkets, the governor said one of the reports she received was some of the beneficiaries feared the card will expire in a week.

"No I said we should give a time limit. Magpadala ta og advisory nga these cards will be used within three months. Kay di man sad na mahimo nga imo na isulod sa kaban," Garcia said

Beneficiaries of Dasig Sugbo cards were seen few days now lining outside of the supermarkets.

Some of the beneficiaries told The Freeman it took them one day to two days for them to be able to purchases their grocery items using the coupon cards released by the Capitol.

Like Elsa Cabaluna, 41 years old from the City of Naga, who went to one of the malls in Cebu city to purchase grocery items for her family.

"Karon (yesterday) pa mi nakakuha ma’am kay kapila mi magbalik balik og adto didto sa Prince pati sa Tabunok dili mi kakuan (purchase) kay gihurot naman nila, wala nay stock maong niari mi sa Main among gisuwayan kay nakakuan (knew) man mi diri sa (Gaisano) Main nga sige hatag maong niari mi diri. Gabie (March 6) pa mi sige og kuan. Pero gahapon (March 7) nagpalista sa mi pero kaadlawon sad mi oy...pagkagabie diri sad mi. Ganina (yesterday) pa kaadlawon pila unya karon pa mi mahuman," Cabaluna told The Freeman.

Cabaluna received P8,000 worth of coupon card after their house was totally damaged by the typhoon. She said she was able to purchase first the construction materials and then followed by the grocery items.

The Capitol gives P3,000 worth of coupon card each for partially damage house and P8,000 for totally damage.

The governor admitted that these were "bumps" they are facing since this is "first time phenomenon" that happened wherein a local government unit released billions of fund for this kind of program.

"These are the bumps that we have to encounter, nothing is ever perfect in this world, bottomline is we are trying to help as much as we can," Garcia said. — GM (FREEMAN)