Newsbriefs

CASH AID FOR KIN OF NURSE KILLED IN FIRE

THE Cebu provincial government will extend assistance to the family of Estrella Panuncia, the retired nurse who died in the fire that hit her house in Minglanilla town last Tuesday afternoon.

In a text message sent to Cebu Daily News, acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale said they will send cash assistance along with canned goods, noodles and rice to Panuncia’s family.

Staff of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) visited the family in Minglanilla town to determine what other assistance could be given to them.

Fire investigators found the 59-year-old Panuncia inside her room.

She had major burns on her legs, arms and body and was believed to have suffocated.

The fire in Minglanilla started at 3:55 p.m. last Tuesday in the Deca Homes Subdivision Phase 3 in Barangay Tungkil.

FO2 Rafael Basabe said Panuncia turned 59-years-old a week before the accident.

He said the victim may have slept inside her room on the second floor when the fire started.

A witness told Basabe he saw Panuncia approach her room window and called for help.

But Panuncia, who suffered from partial paralysis after a stroke, was unable to escape. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

BARANGAY WORKERS STIPEND GETS RELEASE DATE

BARANGAY workers will be assured of receiving their monthly stipend on schedule if Mayor Michael Rama signs into law an ordinance that will institutionalize the release of their every honoraria every second Monday of the month.

Councilor Alvin Arcilla said fixing the date will avoid delays in the release of their honoraria.

Barangay daycare workers and garbage collectors for example had to wait three months to receive their January to March pay.

Councilor Jose Daluz III sought a postponement of the passage of the ordinance for further review in yesterday morning’s session.

“There is also a need to study what is causing the delays in the release of their pay,” he said.

Daluz said the delays may be caused by the slow processing of their payrolls by City Hall payroll makers.

Another possibility is the delay in the employees submission of attachment documents.

The city government, for example, is giving a P4,000 counterpart for the honoraria of tanods and members of the lupong tagapamayapa.

Mayor Michael Rama said funding availability is not a problem.

But he warned the council against overstepping the functions of the executive department.

Rama said they are now processing the release of assistance to Persons With Disability and the honoraria of barangay workers. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac