CEBU, Philippines - The city government has turned over the P500,000 financial assistance it has promised the municipality of Daanbantayan.
Mayor Michael Rama personally turned over the check to Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot yesterday. Loot was accompanied by members of the Daanbantayan Municipal Council headed by Vice Mayor Renato Te.
It was former mayor Tomas Osmeña who promised the financial assistance to Daanbantayan for the town’s Haladaya Festival, but the same was endorsed just recently by the new City Council.
“Nindot g’yud ang Cebu City kay hatagan kag P500,000 nga walay yawyaw. Sa Capitol mihatag tuod sila kaniadto og P300,000 pero with matching kasaba,” Loot said.
Rama said the assistance is a way to show that Cebu City is willing to help other local government units.
Osmeña earlier decided to help Daanbantayan after Capitol refused to give money to the town for its failure to participate in the “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo.” The incident has soured the relationship between Loot and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
“Wala na g’yud ko mobalik sa Capitol kay mahadlok na ko nga kasab-an pag-usab,” Loot told reporters yesterday.
Garcia said earlier that she got angry with Daanbantayan’s failure to participate because even the smaller towns like Pilar and Tudela from Camotes managed to join. The “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo” was held at the Cebu International Convention Center last August.
Garcia said Daanbantayan had no reason not to join, especially that the town was last year’s champion.
Daanbantayan’s “Haladaya Festival” was initiated by Loot herself in 2004 to honor the town’s local hero, Datu Daya, who defended and spared the town from harassment and attacks of Moro pirates. Daya was the head of the first Malayan settlers and was known for his good deeds and bravery.
In fact, Daanbantayan was used to be called “Kandaya,” a name taken from the name of the Datu.
The name of the festival every August 30 is coined from two words: “Halad,” which means “to offer” and “Daya,” the family name of Datu. —THE FREEMAN