Mabalacat City hall main entrance half-barred. Photo by Joann Manabat
MABALACAT CITY — Go, direct your concerns to city hall where they will be properly addressed instead of spreading more confusion in social media.
This, in effect is the advice of Mayor Crisostomo Garbo to his constituents in the wake of grievances and criticisms of the city government’s relief distributionsystem in the social media.
“Deta kanu po maka–apartment ali dala kanu pegdinan keni. Dininan dala kanu one sack of rice 25 kilos pitna la kanu siping na bale tapos detang P1,000 tig P500 lamu rin po kanu,” one netizen said,
Alleged selective distribution was likewise widely raised: “Ing siping ming bale dininan de, ot ikami ligpasan da kami.”
To set the record straight, Garbo told his constituents that the city government’s relief distribution is programmed to come in three waves.
The first wave of relief is the pack consisting three kilos of rice with canned goods or fresh produce.
The second wave comprised the Social Amelioration Program of P6,500 to the beneficiaries in the list of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, or the 25 kilos sack of rice with P1,000 cash for the non-SAP beneficiaries.
The third wave would be the cash vouchers to be distributed within the first week of May.
“Atin tamu pamiye from the national government, itang social amelioration program. At the same time atin tamu makalaan ketang kekatamung 4Ps at detang tumanggap SAP, ali mi na la didinan karetang manibat city hall kalupa na nitang kapitnang kaban a abiyas ampong P1,000 cash,” Garbo stressed.
“Ing milyari kasi keng San Francisco, bayu la mag–validate deng SAP, deng DSWD memiye na la karin. Atin mengadinan 4Ps, atin mu rin medinan SAP. Nung milampasan la, nanu man ing reason, puntalan da ku kening city hall,” Garbo called out to those who felt left out in the distribution.
As to those who live in an apartment type residences, Garbo clarified that the relief distribution of the second wave to the non-SAP beneficiaries will only be considered as one relief as it will be shared among the tenants.
“Actually reng renters ali la qualified. It’s not the responsibility of the LGUs, it is the responsibility of the landlord or lessor. For considerations, didinan mi la. Responsibilidad ne ning magpa-upa ing manupa,” said Garbo.
Garbo reiterated his assurances to his constituents that the city hall is open for their concern and they can go directly to his office, subject to strict observance of ECQ protocols.
He said that personnel manning checkpoints have already been instructed to allow passage to those who want to go to his office to relay their concerns.
Garbo also said that relief operations in Mabalacat will be extended due to expanse of the city and strict validation requirements.
