MABALACAT CITY — The chaos that attended Tuesday’s distribution of P1,000–grocery vouchers at the Filhomes covered court in Barangay Mabiga which went viral riled Mayor Crisostomo Garbo.
Garbo said he immediately asked the barangay councils in charge to stop the distribution in order to deescalate the situation and keep it under control, all quarantine protocols having been violated by the rush of people to the site.
“Ipinahinto ko. Sabi ko, ihinto niyo yan. Nakita ko eh. May schedule naman sila. Pagkatapos nung naayos na nila, ibinalik na nila,” said Garbo.
On why the barangay residents came to a set place for the distribution, Garbo said: “Hindi pwedeng house-to-house iyon dahil may ipinapapirma na may ini-receive ka kaya nakikiusap din sana ako. Sinusunod natin ang protocols, lagyan din natin ng tamang disiplina.”
Hazel Garbo, social assistance office admin assistant, said that the heavy rain caused the huge crowd to gather in the covered area of the court. She said they were able to resume the distribution as soon as order was restored.
“Ing milyari, uling minuran, reng tau automatic salilung la. After na nita, less than an hour masalese na ing sitwasyon,” she said.
“Almost 4,000 la reng dintang keni napun and me-accommodate la reng mekapanenaya. Reng total beneficiaries (Mabiga) more than 5,000 la. Meyari kami napun past 7 p.m. na,” she added.
According to Mabiga barangay chair Elmer Calaguas, they have already displayed a schedule of the distribution per district at the checkpoint areas here as they continued to give out the vouchers to the residents on Wednesday with strict compliance with the MECQ guidelines as directed by Mayor Garbo.
Calaguas also said that the rest of the residents who have yet to receive their grocery voucher can still go to Filhomes as schedule: “Malyari lang kuma ngeni reng ali mekanikwa napun, uling ngeni mu rin ing schedule tamu keti pamagluwal.”
“Ginawa kami schedule per purok tamu, from 9 a.m. every hour ing pamamiye per purok keng Filhomes covered court. Ali la milub reng ali maka schedule. Per checkpoint ning purok makadisplay ya ing schedule para karetang kumang vouchers,” Calaguas explained.
Mayor Garbo asked the beneficiaries of the vouchers to disregard the expiration date these are marked with as these will still be valid and redeemable past the expiry date. The vouchers are redeemable at Jumbo Jenra, Puregold, and Ong Sin Siu Grocery.
As to the rice provided by Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, Calaguas said they have started the distribution to the poorest of the poor in the community and will go on until the rest of the barangay folk are all give their share.
