Cebu LGUs to get funds from DILG, sans Roxas

PROTESTERS rally at the main office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Quezon City, demanding an accounting of donations made for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.” JOAN BONDOC

CEBU CITY, Philippines—More than P80 million would be distributed to at least 13 local government units (LGUs) in the province of Cebu to help them rebuild or repair structures destroyed or damaged by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” according to officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Checks representing the funds would be distributed on May 2 but without Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who has been criticized for allegedly using the check distribution as a publicity stunt to promote his campaign for the 2016 presidential elections.

Ananias Villacorta, DILG regional director, said Roxas gave instructions to one of his underlings to coordinate the distribution of the checks with Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, a member of the Liberal Party, which is led by Roxas.

The check distribution ceremony would be done at the Cebu capitol social hall.

While a total of 16 LGUs in northern Cebu are in need of funds to help them rebuild or repair structures destroyed or damaged by Yolanda, Villacorta said only 13 would receive the funds on May 2.

These include the towns of Bantayan, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, Pilar, San Remegio, Sta. Fe, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan and Tuburan. Bogo City will also receive funds.

A total of P82.8 million in checks would be given to mayors.

Villacorta said the towns of Madridejos and Tudela, which lost buildings and other infrastructure at the height of Yolanda, received a separate P46 million that had been turned over by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Villacorta said it took the DILG at least three months to evaluate the programs of work submitted by the LGUs and found some of the amounts quoted in the programs “bloated.”