SKF Cebu City president Jessica Resch. | photo grabbed from Jessica Resch’s FB page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) in Cebu City is calling on the city government to release the promised financial aid to the federation’s members in the barangays.
In a letter, Councilor Jessica Resch, the president of the SKF in Cebu City, told Mayor Edgardo Labella to release the P80 million cash assistance to the barangays which was part of the 2019 annual budget prepared by former mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Every barangay SK was promised P1 million provided they comply with the requirements of the city including a clear budget proposal approved by the mayor.
A year after, Resch said not a single SK received its share of the promised financial assistance.
“We wanted the Financial Assistance to be released as soon as possible because as what we have said in our letter, it will be of huge help to the Cebu City Youth – to whom we all are accountable to,” said Resch in a text message to CDN Digital.
Resch said the SK would like to help the barangays in providing the needs of the residents during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The financial assistance will be used for 40 percent preparedness, 30 percent response, and 30 percent to help in the recovery of the affected families of the ECQ.
“We can use the money to provide hygiene kits, vitamin C, set up a handwashing area in the sitios. Aside from what we already have now, we plan to secure more PPE’s (personal protective equipment) for our youth volunteers/front liners – those who actively assist our barangay officials in providing food assistance for the young parents and out of school youths.
“We can also use the 30 percent for unemployment benefits and such other programs for the unemployed youth – as an effect of the ECQ,” said Resch.
The SK Federation in Cebu City hopes the city government can release the money as soon as possible so this can be used to help the city’s constituents instead of being an unused fund. /rcg