69 barangay chiefs sign MOA with Rama on financial aid

SIXTY-NINE barangay captains in Cebu City signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) yesterday with Mayor Michael Rama for the P400-million financial assistance of the City Government to the villages this year.

The amount is intended for social development projects of the barangays as stated in the City’s Budget Ordinance 2301.

Barangay Guadalupe, which is the biggest village in the city in terms of population, got the biggest chunk of the budget with P12.3 million, while Barangay Paril has the smallest share with only P3.2 million.

Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan, together with the village chiefs of Guba, Kamagayan, Mabini, Malubog, Pahina Central, Parian, Santa Cruz, Sirao, T. Padilla, and Pahina San Nicolas, failed to attend the MOA signing.

Rama, in his speech during the program, assured that all the 80 barangays will have their share of the financial aid even if their chiefs are not his allies.

The mayor said he doesn’t want the barangays belonging to the oppossition to suffer just like what happened in the previous administration.

Politics

He reminded all the barangay officials in the city, though, not to indulge much on politics because the election is still a long way to go.

But he took potshots at some village chiefs identified with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) who have already put campaign materials in their barangay halls.

“The elections are next year yet but you are preparing as though the elections would be held next month. Where’s your common sense? What happened to what was taught to you in school?” Rama said in Cebuano.

He mentioned Barangay Captains Petronilo Fat Jr. (Hipodromo), Pancho Ramirez Sr. (Santo Niño), Jessielou Cadungog (Tejero), Vicente Ramos Jr. (Quiot), and Antonio Caruzca (Pahina San Nicolas), among others.

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Despite this, the barangay captains were still invited by the mayor to attend his State of the City Address on Monday.

Rama also announced that on Monday, the City Government will distribute brand new service vehicles to the barangays.

The 18 barangays that failed to receive their financial assistance in 2011 are also scheduled to get their share on Monday.

Meanwhile, Councilor Edgardo Labella is proposing the creation of the Barangay Legal Assistance Office (BLAO), which is separate from the City Legal Office. The BLAO would render legal assistance solely for barangay officials.

The councilor said the BLAO is needed to assist the barangays, particularly in the conduct of bidding and procurement, among others.

He will look into the matter on how to go about it, but if it needs an ordinance to create the BLAO, Labella added, he will author it in the City Council.