Labella seeks council’s authority for DSWD MOA

Mayor Edgardo Labella is asking the Cebu City Council to grant him the authority to go into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). | Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Mayor Edgardo Labella is seeking the council’s permission to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The MOA will allow the city to avail the Social Amelioration Program to help those who are affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

This followed after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered that all public donations be relayed to the Office of the Civil Defense and be distributed to the local government units (LGUs) through the DSWD. 

Read more: Duterte wants all donations in fight vs COVID-19 transmitted to OCD

On April 2, 2020, Labella met with the DSWD Central Visayas officials to discuss how to go about with the program. 

“We are alread coordinating with the DSWD on how we can get this aid because that is what the President wants. As of now, we have not received help yet,” said Labella. 

The mayor has written to the council to immediately convene so that he will have the authority to sign the MOA.

However, the Office of the Vice Mayor said that the council cannot convene immediately, and the council members agreed to convene on Monday, April 6, 2020. 

In order for the City Council to conduct business, they must reach a quorum of half ot the council members plus one or majority of the members present. 

Read more: City Council to hold 1st online session on Wednesday

This decision of the Office of Vice Mayor came amid their sessions going full online. 

This will also mean the city will have to wait until next week before getting help from the national government./dbs