Confusion over venue change, processing of aid

DESPITE the confusion over the venue of distribution, the seniors managed to receive the P2,000 cash aid promised to them by the Cebu City government in Basak San Nocolas, with police securing the venue. At left, BO-PK ally and barangay candidate Reymelio Deleute helps the seniors while Basak San Nicolas chairman Norman Navarro (below) voices his surprise over the change in venue from the Don Vicente Rama Elementary school covered court to the school’s unfinished gym. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

While some complained and others were confused about the venue, seniors in Barangay Basak San Nicolas managed to receive their P2,000 cash aid along with other seniors in Cebu City’s 80 barangays yesterday.

Senior citizen Tarsila Navarro described the distribution as an inconvenience to them.

“It’s a hassle now. You have to get a priority number unlike before when you go directly to the disbursing officer,” she said.

The cash aid distribution was held in an unfinished gym at the Don Vicente Rama School.

Margarita Yanong said while the gym is open air, the weather was hot.

“Alimoot karon pero okay raman pud kay naay hangin-hangin gamay. Pero mas maayo gyud tong sa una (It’s hot but it’s okay because there’s some wind. But it’s better before),” she said.

(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Reymelio Delute, who is running for barangay chairman in Basak San Nicolas in October this year and was reportedly in charge of distributing the cash aid, said everything was peaceful and orderly.

He said the school’s unfinished gym was a better venue compared to the barangay gym which was not well ventilated.

Amid complaints from some seniors, Delute said they needed to institute a systematic distribution of cash aid since there are seniors who weren’t listed but were still receiving cash aid.

“Normal mana nga mahasolan sila. Bag-o mani atong systema karon (It’s normal for them to experience some hassles sine there is a new system),” he said.

Delute said those, who were bedridden, were visited by disbursement officers and volunteers in their homes so they could receive their cash aid.

Basak San Nicolas barangay chairman Norman Navarro, who is allied with the rival Team Rama bloc, said the barangay officials were unaware that the cash aid distribution would be held at the Don Vicente Rama High School.

He said nobody from the city government coordinated it with them.

“Okay raman sila mo head ana. Ang amo lang coordinate unta sila para kami pud taga-barangay maka assist pud sama sa pagpa-deploy ug tanod or hatag og mga lingkoranan or electric fan sama sa among gibuhat niaging distribution (It’s okay for them to head it. What we’re after is coordination with us so we in the barangay can assist them such as deploying the tanods or giving chairs to the seniors and placing electric fans just like the previous cash aid distribution),” he said.

Cebu Daily News tried but was unable to contact the City Treasurer’s Office for an initial assessment of their cash aid distribution to the city’s 80 barangays which they will a submit a report on tomorrow.