Lawmaker complains of ‘color coding’ in relief distribution

MANILA, Philippines - Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez of Leyte’s fourth congressional district yesterday complained of “color coding” in the distribution of relief aid to typhoon victims in her constituency, including Ormoc City.

Gomez told ANC that city personnel manning the relief goods center at city hall are excluding her and her husband’s supporters from the aid.

“National agencies in charge of relief may not admit it, but on the ground, petty politics is really rearing its ugly head and hampering aid distribution,” she said.

Gomez said city personnel would tell her constituents queuing for relief goods that “their umbrellas did not come from the mayor and they should leave.”

She said even newly elected barangay officers play politics with relief.

She added that if discrimination in aid distribution is happening in Ormoc City, it is not far-fetched that the same is taking place in other areas in the Visayas devastated by the typhoon.

Torres-Gomez won a second term in last May’s election but her husband, actor Richard Gomez, lost to Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla. The Gomezes belong to the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

During the interview, ANC said it would welcome a call from Codilla so his side would be heard. No such call came, however. – Rainier Allan Ronda, Non Alquitran, Cecille Suerte Felipe