CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council advised the officials of barangays Basak-San Nicolas, Guadalupe and Tisa to speed up the processing of the documents supporting the payment of the P1.5-million funeral services that their constituents availed of.
Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Finance, assured City Hall has the money to pay Saint Francis Memoral Homes for their services offered in line with the City’s burial financial assistance and funeral service expenses.
Each of the coffin that will be provided to the indigent family through Saint Francis Memorial Homes costs P8,000. But aside from this, the City also gives the family of the deceased P10,000 as financial assistance.
Zigfred Diaz, vice president of the funeral firm, said the City still owes them P1.56 million for the three clustered barangays.
Of the P1.56 million being demanded by St. Francis Funeral Homes, P984,000 is owed by barangay Basak San Nicolas, P224,000 by barangay Guadalupe and P360,000 by barangay Tisa.
“We have been constantly following up City Hall and the latest news we heard is that there is already a budget for the burial assistance,” said lawyer Zigfred M. Diaz, vice president for operations.
Osmeña said the City last August 17 approved Supplemental Budget No. 2 and one of the items in that budget is “aid to city barangays,” which includes the burial financial assistance and funeral services expenses for barangays Basak-San Nicolas, Guadalupe and Tisa.
Osmeña said the budget and finance committee is requesting the clustered barangays to process the necessary papers and other documents so that payment can be released to St. Francis Memorial Homes.
Mayor Michael Rama had announced that the City Government now allows the late filing of application for the burial assistance program even after two months after the death of an individual.
Executive Order No. 11-13 which amended Section V of Executive Order No. 11-7, provides that the mayor may, upon his discretion, allow the late filing of application for assistance for humanitarian reasons, but it must be within the same year which the fund is allocated. — (FREEMAN)