Mandaue City Administrator Atty Jamaal James Calipayan
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The financial aid for families partially affected by Odette, senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities, and the fuel subsidy for tricycle drivers and operators in Mandaue City will be given within this month.
City Administrator Atty Jamaal James Calipayan said the first batch of beneficiaries may receive it within this week or next week.
Calipayan said Mayor Jonas Cortes wanted it to be distributed right away.
The assistance was not distributed earlier because of the implementation of the Comelec ban, prohibiting local government units from spending public funds for 45 days ahead of the May 9 elections.
The city administrator said the distribution would be done in batches.
He said because the needed amount is huge, they can only cash advance a certain amount at a time.
The city government allocated P165 million for the Odette partially affected families numbering about 47,000 who will receive P3,000.
Over P120 million was allotted for the financial aid for senior citizens and over P10 million for the Persons With Disabilities.
It would be the first half of their financial assistance worth P4,000. Senior Citizens and PWDs in Mandaue have a yearly allowance of P8,00.
Almost P13 million was also budgeted for the fuel subsidy.
About 2,545 legitimate tricycle drivers and operators will receive P5,000 each as an aid to mitigate the successive increase in fuel prices over the past months.
Calipayan said they have yet to discuss if the distribution would still be done house-to-house.
He said they will be posting details on the Mandaue City Public Information Office Facebook page. /rcg