NEWS BRIEFS

SAMSAM, 43 OTHERS MEET COMELEC DEADLINE ON EXPENSES

NEWLY elected Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district was the last to submit a Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SECE) before the 5 p.m deadline set by law last Thursday.

Provincial Election Assistant Arthur Patiga said the 26-year-old Gullas, grandson of outgoing Rep. Eduardo Gullas submitted his statement 10 minutes before 5 p.m.

Patiga said copies of the SECE were sent yesterday to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Cebu Gov.-elect Hilario Davide III topped the list of campaign spenders in the province with more than P6.1 million.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Hermilito Bulala was the lowest spender at P916, mostly on taxi fares while fellow independent gubernatorial candidate and radio blocktimer Roliveth “Boyet” Cortes spent P145,000.

One Cebu vice gubernatorial candidate Boboy Durano spent P280,000 while vice gubernatorial candidate and businessman Glen Soco spent P3.3 million. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS GIVEN TO ERMITA FIRE VICTIMS

BUILDING materials were distributed to 35 out of 62 families in phase 2 of the reblocked area in sitio Bato, barangay Ermita in Cebu City yesterday.

The families were hit by a fire last April. “We only gave to those who are in our list,” said Social Welfare and Services chief Ester Concha.

The reblocked area is divided in two phases. Phase I has 160 residential lots while phase II only has 48 residential lots.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said some lots are shared by two or three families. The lots measure at 12 and 16 square meters each.

Those who live near the sea agreed to only have 12 square meters while those who used to occupy small areas agreed to secure the 12 sq meter lots. The sitio’s main road will be six meters wide.

Aside from the residential lots, there are also five lots for communal toilets, four lots for a daycare center and one lot for an activity center.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama attended the ceremonial turnover of the construction materials and also inspected the area.

Reclamation is still ongoing in some parts of the Phase I near the ocean.

Poblete said they hope to finish the reblocking for phase I in two weeks.

Alvin Santillana, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office operations chief, earlier said they had to halt stop the reblocking operations due to the rain. Correspondent Jose Santino Bunachita