Rama wants to augment meal budget of cops

A police officer on APEC security detail eats her packed lunch of rice, a boiled egg and two pieces of fried lumpia(spring rolls) in temporary quarters in Mabolo National High School.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city government should augment the meal budget for police officers assigned to detail the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Cebu City.

“It has to be addressed and I would like Vice Mayor Edgar Labella and the Police Coordinating Advisory Council (PCAC) to come in. Maybe the city can help. We can bring it even under the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS)  because this is preparedness,” Rama told reporters.

The mayor was reacting to reports of P50 per meal budgets for policemen  assigned to help ensure peace and order in Cebu during the APEC meetings.

Regional police officials earlier clarified that a P300 per day allowance was alloted for actual meals to some 3,000 policemen.   Packed meals are distributed because audit rules don’t allow a release.

Rama  said it’s better not to give cash to  policemen because this might be abused.

Labella agreed, saying he talked to City Administrator Lucelle Mercado to find ways on how to help the police.

PCAC will meet today on the issue, he said.

READ: APEC security cops sleep on hammocks, cardboard

“It’s important that these policemen don’t leave their assigned premises because if they are given cash, they may go somewhere to buy food,” Labella said.

Rama ordered the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to also make sure that volunteers of the city government receive packed meals.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, who heads the office, said he asked for the list of all barangay tanods, CCDRRMO personnel and other volunteers for APEC so they can set aside a budget for their meals to be sourced from the city’s disaster funds.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, directorate chief of staff of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7), said they will do their best to augment the meal budget of the police officers.

He said they identified billeting areas in the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu City for  police personnel from Bohol, Negros and in the far-flung areas of Cebu province a month ahead of the APEC meetings.

The barangay halls of Mactan, Ibo and Punta Engaño were identified as lodging areas. In Mandaue City, the Norkis Park, the Department of General Services and the Cebu International Convention Center were identified.

In Cebu City, the Apas gym, a public school in Mabolo and the senior citizen’s building in South Road Properties (SRP) are billeting areas./With Correspondent Apple Mae Ta-as