Mambaling chief says he had no hand in crowding of senior citizens during financial aid distribtion
Social distancing was broken during the distribution of the financial assistance in Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City. | Photo courtesy of Barangay Councilor Anne Marie Palomo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City is in hot water anew for breaking social distancing protocol during the distribution of financial assistance to senior citizens on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Mambaling currently holds the highest number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with over 600 cases but many reports of residents in the barangay breaking social distancing protocol has surfaced over the weeks, including a viral video of residents dancing around Sitio Alaska and photos of residents swimming in the sea.
Barangay Mambaling councilor Anne Marie Palomo posted on her Facebook page photos of the financial distribution that drew the irk of netizens.
The barangay councilor blamed the incident on Mambaling Barangay Captain Gines Abellana.
“You have no feelings nor respect for our senior citizens. This distribution is long overdue for Akaskahanon seniors. I really thought a careful planning and execution would result,” Palomo said in the Facebook post.
But Abellana explained to the city government that he had no hand in the financial distribution at the barangay gym, saying he, too, was surprised about the incident.
He immediately asked the financial distribution to be stopped and ordered the senior citizens to go home.
Asked about the issue, Cebu City spokesperson, Laywer Rey Gealon, said that they found out that senior citizens themselves flocked to the gym because they reportedly could not wait for the long-awaited financial assistance from their respective homes.
“We remind our senior citizens to wait in their houses because the distribution is going to be house to house. This is to protect them because they are very vulnerable to the virus,” said Gealon.
He urged the senior citizens to be patient and wait for the financial assistance.
Still, Gealon said the city government will look into the incident to check on who is supposed to be held liable for the crowding of senior citizens in the gym. /bmjo
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