THE distribution of the P10,000 financial assistance, hygiene kits and relief items for each of the more than 2,000 families who were displaced by recent fires that hit two residential areas in Tondo was unduly delayed because some members from the minority group of the Manila City Council tried but failed to block the passage of a resolution needed for the funds to be immediately released by the city government.
This was learned as Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna personally apologized for what happened, specifically for the fact that the affected families had to wait unnecessarily.
“Lagi ko sinasabi sa mga kasamahan ko na ayaw na ayaw kong nagpapahintay, dahil alam kong napakabigat na ng inyong pinagdaraanan,” the lady mayor said.
“Kanina po ay pinakiusapan ko ang konseho ng Maynila na magpasa ng isang resolusyon para sa agarang pagbibigay ng tulong-pinansiyal, dangan nga lamang, hindi ko malaman sa kung anong dahilan ay tila ho ba parang pinatatagal nang pinatatagal ng ilan nilang kasamahan sa minorya pero sabi ko sa kanila (majority councilors), ‘wag sila bibitaw, piliting maipasa dahil alam ko po ‘yan ang kinakailangan nyo ngayon,” Lacuna lamented.
The mayor expressed gratitude to Vice Mayor Yul Servo who is the concurrent Council Presiding Officer as well as Councilors Bobby Lim, Nino dela Cruz and Marjun Isidro and the other majority councilors who worked on ensuring that the resolution needed for the funds’ release is passed as soon as possible. The said councilors, along with social welfare chief Re Fugoso, also assisted in the distribution of the cash aid and goods to the fire victim-families.
“Pasalamatan natin sila sa kanilang tunay na pagmamalasakit and siyempre, si Vice Mayor Yul na kanina pa inaaway nung iba nating konsehal. Di ko maintindihan kaya ako na ho ang nahingi ng paumanhin pero ang importante nandirito na kami ngayon dahil alam ko na ito po ang kailangang- kailangan nyo, maliban sa kailangan ninyong makabalik sa inyong mga lugar para makapag-pundar ulit. Pagdamutan ninyo ang aming makakayanan,” Lacuna said.
Servo said just as he was about to tackle the resolution for the cash assistance for the fire victims, the councilors belonging to the minority walked out altogether, in an apparent attempt to block the passage of the resolution for lack of quorum.
However, Servo quickly mustered the needed quorum by adding the attendance of majority councilors who registered presence via zoom, which he said is allowed under the council’s internal rules, but that even this was questioned by a minority member lengthily, again in an obvious attempt to delay or block the resolution’s passage.
“Nakakalungkot lang na pati ang tulong na para sa mga tao ay napupulitika. Dapat ipinapasa namin agad ang mga resolusyong gaya nito kasi kailangang-kailangan ito ng mga tao,” Servo sighed.
During the distribution of the cash assistance, hygiene kits and relief goods, Lacuna assured the fire victims that she, Servo and their allies in the council will always be there for them, saying: “Hinding-hindi namin kayo pababayaan at hinding-hindi namin kayo iiwan.”
