Thursday, July 10, 2008 CH cuts budget for packed meals By Linette C. Ramos & Garry A. Cabotaje Sun.Star Staff Reporters
INSTEAD of the P3.6 million the Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) asked for earlier, Cebu City Hall reduced to P2.2 million the appropriation for the packed meals distributed to the victims of relatives at the action center.
DSWS head Catherine Yso reported to the council yesterday that the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC) and her staff distributed 27,203 packed meals from June 23 to July 6.
Carcar victims
For meals alone, which cost P80 each, the City Government needs to pay the suppliers nearly P2.2 million, she said.
Meanwhile, after Talisay City, it’s now the turn of Carcar City to give out financial help to the families of Carcaranons who died in the tragedy.
In its regular session yesterday, the City Council passed a resolution allocating P10,000 for each victim’s family.
COA warning
Councilor Nestor Velez, head of the committee on appropriation, said they hastened the passage of the measure after they learned that 15 Carcaranons were aboard the ferry.
As local governments began to appropriate funds for relief operations and assistance, the Commission on Audit has cautioned them to follow all guidelines, particularly in the use of calamity funds.
Yso, who was asked to appear before the Cebu City Council to explain the use of the P5.8 million it appropriated last Friday, explained in detail how the meals were distributed.
The personnel assigned at the action center planned the identification of the victims’ kin, making sure that only the relatives will benefit from the City’s aid.
GMA visit
She admitted, though, that during President Arroyo’s visit last July 2, the 2,500 packed meals were distributed to everyone present at the Cebu City Sports Center that day.
As instructed by the Presidential Management Staff, who picked up the bill for the 2,500 packed meals, everyone can eat the lunch that was prepared.
Yso assured that for the meals that the City paid for, everything is accounted for.
“I know dako ang atong gasto but we are Cebuanos and whoever comes to Cebu City, regardless of their place of origin, we will take good care of them,” she told the council.
Also yesterday, the council ratified the deed of donation for the P1-million assistance from Malacañang, which the City Government received yesterday.
The amount, which was charged to the President’s Social Fund, is intended for the operations of the action center.
During a special session last Friday, city councilors took turns grilling Councilor Gerardo Carillo, also the CCDCC chairman, on the use of the P5.8 million for the action
center.
The amount was charged to the City’s calamity funds.
But yesterday, nothing more was heard from the councilors, except for commendations for the efforts of the DSWS in helping the victims’ kin.
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. asked, though, why the DSWS asked for P3.6 million for the packed meals last Friday when they owe the suppliers only P2.2 million.
“Because the request was made last Wednesday and that time, we did not know yet when the action center operations would end. But that is only an appropriation, it does not mean we can spend all of that. We only need P2.2 million,” Yso replied.
For the City’s financial assistance to the victims’ families, P1.5 million was appropriated and an additional P900,000 for equipment and supplies for CCDCC.
For its part, the Carcar City Council approved the aid resolution on mass motion, Velez said.
The aid will be taken from the council’s appropriation for donations, at P50,000 for each council member.
Velez advised the nearest kin to process their claims at the City Social Welfare Office by submitting papers such as marriage or birth certificates.
The resolution’s approval came after the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Cebu office furnished its counterpart in Carcar the list of passengers who hailed from Carcar.
Sun.Star learned that Constancia Gebero, 40, a resident of Sitio Dunggoan, Barangay Perrelos, Carcar, was among the passengers when the vessel capsized off Romblon last June 21.
Constancia reportedly boarded the ferry in Manila where she had complied with the requirements for her employment abroad.
The victim’s 43-year-old husband Warlito confirmed to Sun.Star Cebu that Constancia was among the missing passengers of mv Princess of the Stars.
Last week, the Talisay City council approved the release of P5,000 for each family of Talisaynons whose relatives either died during or survived the sea tragedy.
The City Social Welfare Office recorded at least 26 passengers, three of them crewmen of the mv Princess of the Stars, who all hailed from Talisay City. (LCR/GC)
