Lolypop distributes relief goods to fire victims

Fire victims scramble to get their share of the relief goods distributed by Mandaue City Councilor and mayoralty candidate Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon at CICC. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

NOTHING was going to stop Mandaue City mayoralty candidate Emmerie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon from brandishing the little help that she was raring to give to the hundreds of victims of a fire that broke in the city whose votes she wants to court.

A text message sent to media outlets, Monday by Dizon’s Public Relation’s Officer Emy Bustillo read:  Gud PM. Mandaue Councilor Lolypop Ouano Dizon will distribute relief goods to all fire victims of Barangay Guizo and Mantuyong tomorrow at 10:30 am.  Chabeng Garcia, Gubernatorial Candidate Winston’s wife will also be present in the distribution at the vicinity of CICC.  Ouano said they are preparing 2,500 relief packs.  In this connection, you are invited to witness the said event.”

Earlier,  Cebu Provincial Disaster Office Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. warned candidates against distributing anything inside the evacuation center saying that campaigning in the midst of a tragedy is not only prohibited by law but it is also morally wrong.

Tribunalo’s appeal however fell on deaf ears as One Cebu mayoralty candidate Dizon and Chabeng,  wife of the party’s gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia proceeded to the CICC grounds yesterday morning with members of their political camp to distribute relief goods, whether the Provincial Capitol likes it or not.

More than the corned beef, sardines, tuna, noodles and the two kilos of rice that were given to the fire victims by the candidates, the event would be remembered for the black pails and red recyclable bags that bore a shameless plug of Garcia’s name for the pails and Ouano-Dizon’s name and picture for the eco-bags which also came with a brand new branded t-shirt.

The spectacle will also be remembered by those who witnessed it for a near-stampede of fire victims who were rushing to claim their goods from a counter Ouano- Dizon’s staff set up in front of the CICC main entrance before the actual distribution began.

“Nahibong nalang ko nga dili na man na distribution ilahang gihimo. Naa na man gud murag gamayng program sa sinugdanan, (I was surprised because it didn’t seem like a distribution anymore since it started with a small program.) ” Felix Suico, Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MCDRRMO) head said of the distribution by One Cebu which opened with a booming introduction of Garcia, Ouano-Dizon and their entire Mandaue City slate by an emcee.

Some 2,500 relief goods were distributed by Ouano-Dizon and Garcia to the fire victims.   One Cebu’s Mandaue mayoralty candidate and her complete slate were clad in a red campaign shirt bearing each of their names, apparently so people at the evacuation site remember whom to thank.

“Supposed to be last Sunday pa unta mi manghatag.  Pagkahibaw namo dili enough among giandam. Kani karon among gipanghatag dili ni from the city government but from our personal resources. (We were supposed to give last Sunday yet but we learned that we didn’t prepare enough then.  What we’re giving out now is not from the city government but from our own personal resources), Ouano-Dizon told reporters.

“Kada naay calamity sa Mandaue manghatag man gyud ta. Not even a single calamity or sunog nga wala gyud ko nanghatag, election season or not.   (We always give each time there is a calamity in Mandaue.  There is not one single calamity or fire where I have not given, election season or not.)” she added.

Dizon believes that there is no law that prohibits candidates from giving relief goods to victims of calamity.  She also pointed out to reporters that her bag only bore her name and not the position that she is vying for in the coming elections.

On criticisms that she might incur for yesterday’s politically-colored relief aid distribution, Dizon said:   “I have to face it. My purpose for this is to help the fire victims. Sinsero ang akong pagtabang ani, (I am sincere in helping).