REPRESENTATIVES of 48 families from Bulao, Barangay Iponan trooped to City Hall Tuesday to complain that they have not yet received the promised financial assistance from the Cagayan de Oro City Government.

In a special report, Councilor Zaldy Ocon presented a list of 48 families, victims of a series of flash floods in January this year. He said the list was handed to him when he visited a friend in Iponan.

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“Pag-adto nako sa area, naay marker gyud didto nga ang tubig milapas pa sa ulo by at least duha pa ka dangaw,” Ocon reported to his colleagues.

Majority Floor Leader Ramon Tabor replied that the chair of the committee on health and social services should look into the allegations to be fair to the City Social Welfare Department (CSWD), which is responsible for disbursement of calamity financial assistance.

Councilor Dante Pajo, chairman of the committee on health and social services, attributed the slip-up to lack of coordination but said he would look into the matter immediately.

Opposition Councilor Roger Abaday butted in, saying City Hall should be responsive and look for the fastest way to remedy the slip-up instead of finger pointing.

“Pangitaan na og pamaagi diretso. Nabiktima na gani na, i-blame pa ninyo kesyo wala nakigcoordinate sa barangay,” Abaday said.

In an interview with the Sun.Star, Benjamin Castro, administrative designate of CSWD who is also in charge of the disbursement of calamity assistance, said it is usually their field coordinator that validates calamity assistance claims.

“I understand that this particular claim was referred back to the barangay office. Our district coordinator man gud ang maoy mo-validate sa claim tapos i-report dayon na dinhi sa city,” said Castro.

One of the flood victims—who requested anonymity—alleged they have already coordinated with their barangay chair (Anthony Brilleta) but because they did not vote for him, he dilly-dallied on their request.

When asked if politicking played a role in the delay of release, Castro replied it could not be helped if some barangay chairs would use the incident to get back at those who did not support them in the local barangay elections.

Later in the afternoon of the same day, Pajo called this paper to explain that the 48 families Ocon referred to that morning was already among 197 flood victims whose claims were currently being processed for disbursement.

The next step is for the claims to be calendared for the next plenary session of the City Council, which will pass an ordinance for the release of the funds, he added.

Pajo said the delay was because of the location of the victims.

“Naa man gud na sila sa Promiseland—boundary sa Bulua tapos bag-o lang ta nag-release didto. Lisod pud kun magkadoble-doble ang pag-release sa funds so gi-validate pa gyud sa atong field workers,” he explained. (We had just released funds to some families in that area and we’re still determining those who have not received assistance yet.) (CBC)