Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña warned anyone, including his supporters and individuals identified with him under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), not to insert sample ballots of candidates running for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections inside envelopes containing cash aid for senior citizens, otherwise, Osmeña said he will have no doubts on cutting ties with them.
“I’m giving them a fair warning. I don’t want to see your sample ballots in the envelopes. It’s not your money (which is being distributed). It’s the people’s money. If any of my supporters will be putting their stickers or whatever, I’ll cut them off. Nauwaw gyud ko sa mga tawo (I’m so ashamed to face the people),” he said.
The Cebu City Government is set to distribute the first trench of financial assistance for senior citizens on Saturday (April 28).
The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) identified 67,300 seniors citizens as beneficiaries.
The release of cash aid to elders in Cebu City will distributed a week before the campaign period.
OSCA Director Lourdes Limpangog told Cebu Daily News in an interview yesterday that each of the 67,300 senior citizens will receive cash incentive worth P1,000.
Limpangog also debunked reports that the cash distribution for senior citizens was put on halt. / with PIT Intern Glazelle Bless Viter