Monday, June 02, 2008 Lapu-Lapu gives barangays P600T as financial aid
LAPU-LAPU City Hall gave the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) P600,000 as financial assistance after its board complained that their 2007 budget was drained by big events in the city, including the Kadaugan sa Mactan last April 27.
Leo Mercado, the association’s president and representative to the City Council, said his group hosted some of the activities of last month’s Kadaugan sa Mactan, spending the bulk of their funds for honoraria and meals of tanods tapped to provide security.
Although they are supposed to be an independent organization, Mercardo said the request for financial assistance was agreed upon by majority of the members in a board meeting.
Besides, he said, the city has been supportive of the ABC since Mayor Arturo Radaza became mayor in 2001, giving financial assistance to barangay captains whenever they ask for it, to prevent disruptions in the delivery of basic services.
Projects
“The ABC’s funds lay solely on the financial assistance extended by the city mayor, thus, sans such assistance, the association cannot implement its projects that could benefit the city for this year,” the board said in a resolution.
Last month, Lapu-Lapu City Hall gave up its 50 percent share of fines collected from violators of its Environmental Sanitation Code and of the Solid Waste Management Act in favor of the barangays, to make them financially efficient.
City Ordinance 484-97 imposes P300, P500, and P1,000 as fines for first, second and third offenses of those who violate the ordinance or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. The proceeds are then shared between the city and the barangay where the violator is caught.
But the ABC was told to produce its own official receipts and buy sanitation tickets from Manila.
Mercado said the ABC operates using the accumulated monthly dues of each of the 30 barangay captains.
“Even if we are independent, we need the mayor’s help,” he said. (AIV)
