Rama explains why aid for brgy. is held

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday criticized Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan for saying City Hall is blocking the release of their P12-million financial assistance.

Rama said the release has been stalled because Gacasan did not sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that covers the release of the assistance.

In a news conference yesterday, Rama said Gacasan did not attend the ceremonial signing of the MOA with all the 80 barangays that Rama called last June.

“So ayaw siya patakaa og storya. Kung naa koy MOA pirmahan, paatubanga sad na sila nako. Kabastos gud anang mopirma ko unya wa ko kita nila (He should not talk like that. If there’s MOA to be signed, they should come to me. It’s not right to sign the MOA without them),” he said.

Rama dismissed the claims of Gacasan that City Hall is blocking the release of the assistance because he is supporting the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, which is headed by Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district).

No politics

“Bisan di nato amigo, bisan tua sila sa pikas, di na rason nganong di nato tagaan (Politics is not a reason to deny anybody of assistance),” he said.

He said he doesn’t want to hamper the delivery of basic services to the city’s constituents.

Rama said he signed the MOA with Barangay Tejero headed by Barangay Captain Jessielou Cadungog, who is also a known ally of BOPK, as they attended the MOA’s ceremonial signing.

Development

Guadalupe’s P12-million financial assistance forms part of the P400-million Social Development Fund of the 80 barangays for this year.

Despite Gacasan’s earlier pronouncement, Rama said the City will still help Guadalupe in collecting the garbage in the area particularly at sitios Englis and Banawa.

The failure of the barangay to deliver basic services to the two sitios is the reason they wanted to separate from the barangay through the creation of Barangay Banawa-Englis.

Majority of Guadalupe residents voted no against the split in a plebiscite.