Militant group urges Capitol to resolve Dasig Sugbo-related issues

This photo from BAYAN-Central Visayas shows long lines of Dasig Sugbo beneficiaries queueing outside a mall in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City on March 23, 2022, hours before the mall opened.

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Militant groups in Central Visayas have called out the Capitol for apparently not resolving the issues surrounding the Dasig Sugbo Cards.

The Bagong Alyansa Makabayan in Central Visayas (BAYAN-Central Visayas) criticized the provincial government’s decision to utilize cash cards in handing out financial assistance to Odette-stricken residents. 

In a press release, the group slammed the Capitol’s apparent failure to act urgently in distributing the cash aid to beneficiaries after finding out that throngs of Dasig Sugbo beneficiaries continue to form long queues in front of supermarkets in Metro Cebu. 

“BAYAN-Central Visayas believes that the provincial government has failed to streamline the provision of financial assistance and may even be using the Dasig Sugbo program to politicize the financial aid distribution,” portions of their statement read. 

“It is adding difficulty to the Cebuano people who are still struggling to recover from the typhoon, and now they have to travel kilometers upon kilometers just to buy food and other basic goods, and then even when they arrive at the supermarket, they have to endure long lines as well,” they added. 

In turn,  BAYAN-Central Visayas urged the Capitol to do away with the Dasig Sugbo cards, and instead distribute cash directly to the beneficiaries. 

“It is not helping the people to be put through tedious processes for financial aid when the need is urgent. The Cebu Provincial Government should have crafted the financial assistance program with urgency in mind, as many families are still going hungry and have no means to rebuild their homes following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette,” they explained. 

Dasig Sugbo is the name coined for the Capitol-funded financial assistance meant for residents affected by Typhoon Odette.

Beneficiaries whose properties were completely destroyed are entitled to receive P8,000 worth of cash aid. Those with partial damages on their houses can receive between P3,000 to P5,000.

The financial assistance, however, are contained inside cards with quick-response (QR) codes. The measure was put in place to ensure beneficiaries will be spending the funds to essential items only. 

The Capitol began distribution of the Dasig Sugbo cards last January. 

However, during the first week of March, they admitted that delays in payments to partner merchants may have contributed to beneficiaries crowding in front of supermarkets in Metro Cebu. 

The province, in the meantime, assured that Dasig Sugbo recipients can still use their cards to spend for groceries, appliances, rebuilding materials and other essential items. 

/bmjo

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