source: SunStar.com.ph
CEBU -- Cebu City’s barangay chiefs were divided on Saturday when the two contenders for the mayoral elections in May 2013 summoned them for a meeting at the same time.
During the separate meetings, both Mayor Michael Rama and Representative Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) made promises to the barangays should they win as mayor next year.
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Mayor Rama met with 40 of the 80 barangay captains over lunch at the Grand Convention Center, for the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the release this year of P400 million from City Hall to the barangays. (Six other barangays were represented at the meeting by other officials, not their chiefs.)
Meanwhile, Congressman Osmeña met with 30 barangay chiefs, also during lunch time, at the White Gold House for a short “pulong-pulong” with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
Osmeña, who heads the BOPK, vowed to the village chiefs that he will triple the City’s financial aid to the barangays if he wins as mayor.
“I will make a deal with you. When I make it back to City Hall, I will make it (financial assistance) times three so you will have something to look forward to,” he said.
The aid, Osmeña said, will be increased by 100 percent each year for the next three years -- but only for the barangays whose chiefs stay with the BOPK.
Rama, who is on his first term as mayor, left the BOPK last year after some public disagreements with Osmeña, who was his political ally for at least six straight terms.
Conditional
Under the P5.2-billion approved budget of the City for this year, the City’s financial aid to the barangays amounts to P400 million. Each barangay’s share depends on the size of their territory, but a minimum of P3 million was promised.
Osmeña alleged that Rama is threatening to hold the release of the barangays’ financial assistance this year if they will not swear to support Team Rama.
“Those nga dili makadawat (who do not receive anything), those of you who will stick it out with us, will be amply rewarded,” he said.
The law says barangay officials are supposed to be non-partisan, even during the barangay elections, but captains and other local officials also double as ward leaders during election campaigns.
The Rama camp denied ever saying the aid for the barangays who do not support them will not be released.
Promises
In an interview Saturday, Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Chief Michael Ralota said the Office of the Mayor scheduled a meeting with the village chiefs after learning about the BOPK’s meeting.
Asked about the matter, the Rama camp said that Saturday’s meeting with the barangay officials had been scheduled several weeks before.
Rama told those at the meeting that he will increase the City’s financial aid to the villages to P800 million, with each barangay getting P10 million, starting next year.
Rama also said he will increase the City’s financial assistance to the senior citizens. This year, the plan is to increase the senior citizens’ cash aid by P2,000, for a total of P7,000 each.
By next year, Rama said, he will increase it by P3,000, and again by P2,000 the year after that for a total of P12,000 or P1,000 each month.
“And that’s the target of our mayor nga taga buwan na sila magdawat (that the seniors will get something each month),” said Rama’s chief of staff, Philip Zafra.
SRP sale
Rama’s challenge, however, will be to get his budget approved by the council, where Osmeña’s allies make up the majority.
Osmeña, in his meeting, also vowed to double the financial assistance that the City is giving to the scholars and senior citizens.
He said the seniors deserve to get P10,000 each from the City, while the P10,000 cash assistance to the public high school graduates will also be increased to P20,000.
Cash assistance to the high school graduates in the mountain barangays will go up from P20,000 to P40,000, he pledged.
The City, Osmeña said, will have enough funds to cover the increases as it can already start selling lots at the South Road Properties (SRP).
The selling of SRP lots has been stopped during the Rama administration, with the council saying the City should wait until the price per square meter doubles.
Osmeña’s meeting on Saturday was attended by 30 barangay captains. Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young was also there as well as Representative Rachel Del Mar (Cebu City, north district), her father Raul Del Mar, and the BOPK city councilors.
Split
The barangay captains who went there are from Bacayan, Banilad, Capitol Site, Carreta, Cogon Ramos, Hipodromo, Kalubihan, Kamagayan, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Luz, Mabolo, Pahina Central, Parian, San Roque, Sto. Niño, T. Padilla, and Tejero in the north district.
For the south district, the barangay captains who were there are from Bulacao, Calamba, Cogon Pardo, Guadalupe, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Pahina San Nicolas, Pardo, Pasil, Quiot, Sudlon II, and Toong.
On the other hand, Rama’s meeting was attended by 46 barangays, 40 of which were represented by the captains themselves.
Six barangays were represented by a barangay councilor.
Those who went to Rama’s meeting are Adlaon, Apas, Agsungot, Binaliw, Busay, Cambinocot, Carreta (represented), Day-as, Ermita, Lahug, Lorega, Lusaran, Mabini, Malubog, Paril (represented), Pit-os, Sambag I, Sambag II (represented), San Jose, San Antonio, Sta. Cruz, Taptap, Tinago and Zapatera for the north district.
For the south district, those who went are the barangay captains from Babag, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Bonbon, Buhisan (represented), Buot-Taup, Duljo Fatima, Inayawan, Kalunasan, Mambaling (represented), Pamutan, Punta Princesa, Pung-ol Sibugay, San Nicolas, Sapangdaku, Sawang Calero, Sinsin, Suba, Sudlon I (represented), Tabunan, Tagba-o, and Tisa. (Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 20, 2012.
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