WITH the election period on, Provincial Board (PB) Member Grecilda Sanchez said she is torn between helping waterless communities hit by El Niño and avoiding accusations of politicking.
Sanchez said she has about 100 units of 4,000-liter water tanks lying idle inside the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) and in her farm in Tuburan town, which she can distribute in the barangays in the third district that have no water.
The water tanks are personal properties that belonged to her father, the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez. Some are being used by the fire victims staying in CICC.
Sanchez said, though, that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) already warned politicians to avoid getting involved in the distribution of calamity assistance, as only the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) are allowed to do so.
But for Sanchez, the community’s need for water is urgent as people and livestock cannot wait until the election period is over.
With the declaration placing the entire province in a state of calamity and the approval of PB Member Alex Binghay’s resolution asking Capitol to act on the water shortage in the mountain villages in Balamban, Sanchez said she will go ahead and lend her water tanks to the 14 mountain barangays.
The tanks will help address the water supply problem in the parched villages, she said.
Last Monday, the PB approved a resolution declaring a state of calamity in the entire province, but it cannot use yet the P33-M calamity fund to help the affected communities.
Exemption
Since it’s election period, the Provincial Government still has to seek exemption from Comelec to release and use government funds.
Gov. Hilario Davide III already sent a letter of request to Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim for the approval of the use of the calamity funds.
In his letter, Davide requested Comelec to allow Capitol to continue providing humanitarian assistance and needed farm inputs and implements.
He said he is open to having the commission assist and monitor the distribution of aid.
With the state of calamity, the Provincial General Services office (PGSO) may be permitted to forego emergency procurement procedures for goods or services that are urgently required to provide emergency assistance to the towns.
PGSO Head Officer Siegfred Sepe said that he is still waiting for the assessment of the Cebu Provincial Rapid Assessment Team (CPRAT) to determine what the affected communities need.
Last year, the PGSO purchased and distributed water tanks and drums to the affected areas in the province.
As Capitol officials prepare to extend aid, the One Cebu Party announced it will file complaints against Davide for violating the Omnibus Election Code.
In a press statement, One Cebu said the complaint stemmed from Davide’s admission that he had distributed aid to calamity victims after the campaign period started as part of his mandate.
The party also warned Capitol officials against using the declaration of a state of calamity to further the interests of the administration candidates.
One Cebu said that according to Comelec, even if the Province has secured an exemption or clearance from Comelec, official candidates are not allowed to participate in the distribution. All aid must be coursed through DSWD or PNRC.
“We are warning them not to use the misfortune of the Cebunos for political means,” said One Cebu legal counsel Mel Amadora.
In the spirit of transparency, Amadora said Capitol officials should make a public disclosure of how they spent the P33-million in calamity funds after they made the same declaration in May 2015.
“I ask the provincial officials to be transparent, to make an accounting of how last year’s calamity funds were spent for El Niño victims,” Amadora said. Gwenna Maurillo Abadiez, USJR Intern/With PR