In the Know: LGUs give generously to families of SAF commandos

On Jan. 30, the city council of Manila passed a resolution approving the release of P5 million from the 2015 budget of the Office of the Mayor as financial assistance to the families of the Special Action Force (SAF) men killed and wounded in the Jan. 25 clash with Moro rebels in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province.

The resolution authorized Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to give P100,000 each to the families of the 44 fallen SAF men and P50,000 each to the families of the wounded commandos.

On Feb. 18, the Makati City government formally donated P100,000 each in financial assistance as well as scholarship grants to the families of the Fallen 44.

Housing assistance packages worth P300,000 each were also set aside for the loved ones of SAF members killed or wounded in the clash.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. handed out the checks and announced that the children of slain police troopers may enroll in any course of their choice at the city-run University of Makati.

Froilan Kampitan, assistant general manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), added that the families of the slain or wounded SAF members will each get P300,000 worth of housing assistance.

Kampitan said the assistance could come in the form of a house and lot. The house would have a typical area of 33 square meters, with the lot having a minimum size of 70 square meters.

The Makati mayor also handed out P100,000 in financial aid from the city government to the 15 SAF survivors during his visit to the Philippine National Police General Hospital on Feb. 8.

Mandaluyong City also allotted over P1 million in cash assistance through a resolution drafted by Councilor Charisse Abalos, donating P20,000 each to the families of the slain SAF men and P10,000 each to the wounded members of the elite police team.

In Quezon City, Councilors Alexis Herrera, Lena Marie Juico and Dorothy Delarmente pushed for a similar resolution setting the amount at P15,000 per family.