CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will give Day-as Barangay Captain Gerome Puerto a P100,000 cash reward for being the lone village chief to attend the City Government’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Day of Valor yesterday.
“I’ve done this before because when nobody shows up, one will show up. We’ll give consideration and reward. Hinaot pa mauwaw ang uban ba,” Osmeña said.
The mayor said that he will add the cash reward to the allocation for Barangay Day-as in the next annual budget.
In a separate interview, Puerto, who has been regularly attending the annual celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan, said the money will help finance many of his projects.
“I have yet to have a tangible project since assuming office in 2013, so, I’m happy that my presence have resulted to great things for the barangay,” he said.
Asked about his absent colleagues, Puerto said they may have taken a break after being stranded in Manila City for three days.
He explained that they were in Manila last week for the National League of Barangays Assembly, but had encountered flight complications on their way home.
In his speech during the commemoration, the mayor slammed the other 79 barangay captains who were not present.
Osmeña also slammed Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who heads the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, and the opposition councilors for not being there.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach Labella but got no response.
Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, for her part, said her staff were at the event on her behalf as she had to attend to another matter.
Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan councilors, though, were also not in attendance.
He lamented that yesterday was no ordinary day and should have been graced by everyone, as it was a celebration of heroism.
He added that instead of dying for one’s country, as the last line of the national anthem reads, people should strive hard and live for a better tomorrow.