BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia lamented that 36 barangay captains questioned the approval of financial assistance to the 25 barangay captains in the city.
Leonardia said on Monday that only 25 barangays have submitted their request, adding it was also approved by the City Council.
These are Barangays 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 17, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 35, 39, 41, Vista Alegre, Taculing, Sum-ag, Singcang-Airport, Punta Taytay, Pahanocoy, Mandalagan, Felisa, Cabug, and Alijis.
“Only these barangays requested the financial assistance and it also passed in the right process like in the Budget Office, Accounting, City Engineer’s Office and the City Council,” Leonardia reiterated.
On Friday, 36 barangay captains expressed their grievances against the current administration for granting financial assistance to only 25 villages, ranging from P140, 000 to P320, 000.
The council had earlier passed Resolution No. 411, series of 2018, which ratified the request for financial assistance with acting Vice Mayor Ricardo Tan as the presiding officer.
This financial assistance can be used for the barangay cleaning, sanitation, and de-clogging of canals, drainage, and streets.
Village leaders Bernabe Sibug of Barangay 7, Charlie Chavez of Barangay 22 and Alfredo Talimodao Jr. of Barangay Granada expressed their concerns on behalf of the 36 others.
They said they felt insulted why only 25 barangays in the city will benefit from the said financial assistance which they believed is the administration's party's way to lure votes for their allied barangay leaders who sought re-election.
In their manifesto, the said barangay captains questioned the alleged selective release of garbage share, the extension of financial aid and other services such as burial and medical assistance from the city has bypassed certain Punong Barangays in granting referrals and certifications and those who are not allies were deprived of such authority to refer and endorse, and the hiring of thousands of job order casuals beginning March 2018 also benefited the favored 25 barangays.
Leonardia said that these are all the allegations of the 36 barangay captains.
“If they want to request financial assistance, the city is open and they should also comply with the requirements like the liquidation, among others. I also have friendly barangay captains who failed to receive assistance because they failed to liquidate, we are not selective about the city’s programs,” Leonardia stressed.
He said there is a process that needs to be followed by the barangay officials to avail the financial assistance.
Leonardia also explained that the hiring of job order casuals is to help the Bacoleños sustain their families for the opening of classes this year.
“So we find nothing irregular here at all and it’s not for the 25 barangays only,” the mayor said.
Leonardia pointed out that there is someone behind the 36 barangay captains who want to run for the next elections.
“All of these are just a prelude. That is why from the beginning, I said that for us to say that the barangay captains to barangay kagawads are apolitical is the biggest hypocrisy in the Philippine politics,” he said
Leonardia added he is hopeful that the barangay officials will cooperate with the City Government for the progress and development of Bacolod. (MAP/SunStar Bacolod)