Ong to Cebu City execs: Stop politicking, give brgys financial subsidy

Cebu City Councilor Franklyn Ong, Liga ng mga Barangay Cebu City president, appeals to officials of the Cebu City government to stop politicking and give barangays their subsidies. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Franklyn Ong, the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB) in the city, lamented on the recent distribution of the barangay financial subsidy, which he said gave favor to administration-allied barangays.

In a privilege speech, Ong said that at least 30 barangays, whose chiefs were allied with the city’s administration party, Barug-PDP Laban had been released their financial assistance from the P143 million allocated budget.

However, the rest of the 50 barangays, most of whom are allied with the opposition party, Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), did not receive their financial subsidy yet despite having completed the requirements.

“Apan Mr. Chairman, with the recent development, nasagmuyo ang majority sa 80 ka barangays sa Cebu City sa unfair treatment ug political harassment na among nadawat kabahin sa Financial Assistance… Niadtong September 1, 2021, Mr. Chairman, adunay releasing sa cheke na gipahigayon didto sa Fort San Pedro para kuno to sa 30 ka barangays nga gi ingon na ka alyado sa administrasyon karon,” Ong said.

(But Mr. Chairman, with the recent development, majority of the 80 barangays of Cebu City lamented the unfair treatment and political harassment on the financial assistance that we will receive… Last Sept. 1, 2021, Mr Chairman, there was a releasing of checks that was done at Fort San Pedro but this was only for the 30 barangays that were said to be allied with the administration now.)

“Mga kapin sa 20 ka barangays ang gikatuohan niadto, ug as of gahapon, ubay-ubay ang ni confirm na tinuod, nadawat na ang ilang cheke sa financial assistance for COVID-19 last week. Ug ang status sa vouchers sa remaining 50 ka barangays, Mr. Chairman? As of yesterday, September 7, naa pa sa City Treasurer’s Office, for signature pa ang voucher. Wala pa na chekehan,” said Ong.

(There were at least 20 barangays who were believed to go there, and as of yesterday, several have confirmed that they did receive their check for the financial assistance for COVID-19 last week. And what about the status of the vouchers of the remaining 50 barangays, Mr. Chairman? As of yesterday, Sept. 7, it is still at the Treasurer’s Office, and the voucher was still for signature. There is still no check.)

Ong: Distribution tainted with politics

Ong said the distribution must have been tainted with political affiliations because upon investigation, at least seven of the barangays who already received their checks submitted their requirements far later than many of the barangays that have not yet received their subsidy.

The councilor appealed to the City’s executive department to be fair in the distribution and put aside political affiliations as the most affected in this situation would be the families who had been waiting for government aid.

“Mr. Chairman, as President of the Liga ng mga Barangay, I would like to make an appeal to the city government, na unta, dili sagulan ug politika ang atong pag responde para sa COVID-19. Pwede ba mohangyo Mr. Chairman na service beyond politics, service beyond colors ta? Kay ang COVID-19, Mr. Chairman, wala ni ila og political colors.”

(Mr. Chairman, as president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, I would like to make an appeal to the city government, that they should not mix politics in our response for COVID-19. I appeal Mr. Chairman that it should be service beyond politics, service beyond colors? Because COVID-19, Mr. Chairman, won’t recognize political colors.)

“Daghan intawn kaayo ang nanginahanglan sa barangays. Dili intawn nato ihikaw sa ila ang tabang sa siyudad tungod sa politika. Kay dili ang barangay kapitan ang nagantos, kundi ang mga katawhan, ang mga Sugbuanon ang nagantos ug apektado aning pamolitika,” he said. 

(There are many in the barangays who need our help. We should not take away from them the help of the city because of politics. Because it is not the barangay captain who suffers, but the people, the Cebuanos are the once suffering and affected by this politicking.)

Garcia on Ong’s allegation

Councilor Raymond Garcia said that he was not aware that only 30 barangays were given the financial subsidy.

“I have no hand there, Mr. Chairman. That is the executive department. Pagrelease sa mga cheque, I was told and since naa may mga kapitan, I just talked there. I did not even see the cheque arrived. When it was given out, I was not there anymore,” said Garcia.

(I have no hand there, Mr. Chairman. That is the executive department. When the cheque was released, I was told and because there are barangay captains there, I just talked (to them) there. I did not even see the cheque arrive. When it was given out, I was not there anymore.)

The majority floor leader said that he would be asking the City Administrators Office and City Treasurer’s Office on why there was delay on the other cheques.

He will report the result of his inquiry to the City Council in the next regular session.

Still, Ong urged the City’s executive department to hasten the release of the cheques of the 50 barangays in the city so that the families would finally get their aid amid the economic struggles this pandemic.

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