THE Cebu City Government will ask the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow its distribution of financial assistance despite the election ban.
City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez said the City Hall does not want to stop the aid for the senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and tanods in 80 villages.
A petition for exemption, he said, will be sent to the Comelec central office.
“These are continuing projects. In other words, these projects are exempted from the coverage of the ban,” Bernaldez said.
Every month the City Hall gives P1,000 to each of the 75,000 senior citizens; P4,000 to each of 1,600 tanods and another P4,000 for each of the 1,200 members of the lupon tagapamayapa (barangay peace council).
Each of the 12,000 PWDs receives P12,000 on an annual basis.
From March 29 until May 12, Comelec prohibits the release, disbursement, or expenditures of public funds. The ban aims at preventing incumbent officials from using government funds in their favor.
Under Section 8 of the Comelec Resolution No. 10511, the local government unit must seek an exemption if it is implementing a project not included in the election ban.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña is seeking a fresh term in the May 13 midterm elections.
Bernaldez said the city government has to withhold the distribution of the financial assistance while waiting for the Comelec’s approval. (from PAC of Superbalita Cebu/KAL)