Politics get in the way of aid distribution, town mayor says

Over 6,000 packs of relief goods were sent to northern Cebu towns by the Cebu provincial government but Medellin’s municipal mayor complained that not one relief pack was sent to them yesterday.

Provincial Social Welfare Officer Evelyn Senajon said three trucks carrying P15 million worth of relief goods were sent to the towns of Liloan, Bantayan, Carmen, Sogod, Medellin, San Remigio, Daanbantayan and Bantayan and Camotes Islands and Bogo City.

“I hate to say it but what are they doing? We haven’t received a single relief pack from the province,” Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez said in a phone interview.

He said the town received donations from private institutions.

Ramirez, who is allied with the One Cebu party of the Garcia family, said the town also received relief goods from former congressman Pablo John Garcia.

Garcia ran and lost to Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, who ran with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale under the Liberal Party-Cebu-Bakud alliance.

“We should set aside politics in this situation. For me, I’m hurt, because I see my people hungry and homeless,” he said.

But Senajon said yesterday’s assistance was only “the first wave.”

Senajon asked Ramirez to “wait a bit” for the relief goods to come.

“We were ready from day one. The goods were ready. All we’re asking for is a little time,” she said.

“More relief aid will come from the Capitol depending on the governor’s orders,” Senajon added.

Clothes, blankets and housewares such as cooking utensils will follow.

Senajon said the provincial government divided the distribution of the relief aid based on the extent of damage sustained by each town and its needs.

She said Daanbantayan received 1,200 food packs.

Another 1,200 will also be sent to Tudela, San Francisco, Poro and Pilar.

The towns of Medellin and San Remigio and Bogo City will receive 750 food packs while 700 were sent to Liloan town.

Senajon said 500 food packs were also given to Carmen and Sogod towns.

Each food pack contains three kilos of rice, five pieces of canned goods, two packs of noodles and bottled water, she said.

More than 300 volunteers from colleges and high schools helped in repacking goods.

Ramirez claimed that Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III prioritized Daanbantayan and other areas and skipped Medellin even if it’s near Daanbantayan.

He claimed that Magpale visited Medellin Vice Mayor Alfonso Lim and told him that “the town wasn’t heavily affected compared to Daanbantayan.”

Magpale dismissed Ramirez’s allegations, saying relief goods were scheduled to arrive in Medellin yesterday.

“I went there yesterday and only met the vice mayor. I want to talk to him (Ramirez) and Lim,” she said. /Peter L. Romanillos, Correspondent