Cash aid alloted to PWDs; others gripe on red tape

AT least 5,757 persons with disability (PWDS) received cash assistance of P2, 000 from the Cebu city government.

Virgie Piccio of the Department of Social Welfare and Service (DSWS) said the cash assistance is the city’s help to PWDs, most of whom are unemployed and have medications to maintain.

Piccio said the cash assistance were distributed through the barangays at a booth they set up in Plaza Sugbu.

However, Gregorio Codilla Jr. said he was not given his share and was told that he already got his share.

Codilla who went to city hall on wheelchair hopes to clarify the matter with Piccio.

Codilla, 47, said he had been passed from one office to another to make a follow up of his cash assistance. A resident of Captiol Site, he was made to go to barangay Apas where he used to live to check if his name is listed there.

Codilla said he received his P2,000 cash assistance last year while he still lived in Apas.

One time, he was told that he already received his cash assistance. When he insisted that he hasn’t received any, he was told to go to the City Hall or visit the DSWS office in Labangon to speak with Piccio.

“Nahurot na lang akong kwarta ug plete pero wala gihapon nako makuha akong kwarta,” he said.

Codilla said he needed his P2,000 cash assistance for the medication of his sick mother who is now admitted in the hospital.

Working as a parking attendant who earns from doles outs of car owners, Codilla said he barely has enough for his and his wife’s meals.

So far, DSWS has registered a total of 6,757 PWDs aged 1 to 59 years old./chief of reporters doris bongcac