CEBU City north district residents who voted for Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid in the recently concluded midterm elections will have to wait until July 1, 2019 to avail themselves of her Paspas Card program.
Mabatid, who won a seat in the City Council, made the pronouncement after receiving flak that her program did not have any funding.
“This is a personal program of City Councilor Niña Mabatid. This will take effect on July 1, 2019. Just stay on my page for updates and do not listen to those people who have no absolute right to discuss my program. Move on!” she posted on her Facebook page.
“Whistleblower”
Ramil Ayuman, a councilor of Barangay Apas who also ran for a seat in the City Council in the north district but lost, said some residents went to the Malasakit Center at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center to use their health cards that Mabatid had distributed during the election period.
However, they were told the cards had not yet been activated. The Malasakit Center ended up shouldering their consultation and treatment costs, said Ayuman, who told Superbalita Cebu that he received the report from employees of the center.
Mabatid dangled her Paspas Card program to the 325,577 voters in the north district in the run-up to the elections. Aside from offering free hospitalization and medicines through its health card, the program also offers free legal assistance, local job opportunities and no placement fees for jobs abroad. In case of death, a card bearer will also get a free coffin.
Expansion goal
Elsa Pasquite, Mabatid’s personal secretary, clarified that the councilor-elect will be using her personal money to fund the program like what she has done in Barangay Mabolo.
Those who have health cards are entitled to P10,000 annually in case they are admitted to the hospital, Pasquite added.
As of press time, it was not determined how many health cards Mabatid had distributed.
Mabatid’s flagship project in the barangay, though, is her supermarket cooperative, in which close to 1,000 residents can buy groceries and other items at a lower price.
She plans to establish a similar program in big barangays in the north district at first, until all the barangays are covered. That way, she said, residents can purchase grocery items at a cheaper price.
Members pay a monthly due of P15.
Mabatid hopes to expand both programs in the south district. (PAC OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / PJB)