No freebies, please

Cebu City  Councilor Gerardo Carillo’s proposal to allocate cash assistance for single parents should be carefully studied if only to spare taxpayers the added burden of having to finance more indigents than are absolutely necessary.
We don’t want to sound heartless, but with the way Cebu City Hall is extending assistance up and down the social strata, one wonders if the local government  operates from bottomless pockets.
The 300-hectare South Road Properties (SRP) is rich in potential, but monetizing the reclaimed land whose investors have been tightly screened to a fortunate few will take some time — unless City Hall is thinking of a fire sale to raise funds quickly.
There are other priorities crying for attention like drainage and flood control that needs P1.6 billion in infrastructure and still uncomputed costs of relocating thousands of creekside residents.
We also wonder if  an aid package for single parents, like the P10,000 annual allotment for senior citizens, would send mixed signals  inviting  more people to migrate to an already crowded Cebu City, just to avail of government freebies.
A council’s stroke of  generosity may spell more  years of congestion with  urban poor settlers.
Based on the proposed  requirements for cash aid for  single parents, a beneficiary has to show  documentary evidence that he or she has a child and lives below the poverty threshold.
How far does Cebu City want to adopt a welfare state model of governance?
At least senior citizens  are in the twilight of their years while the youth deserve every chance to better their lives through scholarships.
Single parents, who are in their state of life by choice, are productive adults who should  earn their keep and not rely on  government charity.
Perhaps an arrangement could be made to allow the single parent beneficiaries to receive  assistance in exchange for sweat equity.  They could contribute work hours, unless it is proven that they are mentally or physically incapacitated.
Even persons with disabilities (PWDs) earn a living and find ways to overcome their limitations.
The national government’s conditional cash transfer program also requires indigent parents to send their children to school.
There are few freebies in life.
While one should not be deprived of help that is urgently needed, the City Council should also be careful not to encourage a dole-out culture.
A public hearing will be held on this proposed ordinance.
We hope other voices are heard and the council gathers as much useful input as possible to craft a better version of this proposal.