No politics in rice distribution

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia denied politicizing the rice distribution in Barangay Duljo Fatima.

He described the allegation as a mere politicking aimed at destroying his candidacy.

“Well, this is a democracy. They are entitled to their own entertainment. Okay, maminaw lang ko and I will just take it as constructive criticism,” said Garcia.

Garcia issued the statement after the Cebu City Council called out the executive department, particularly the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) Relief and Recovery on the alleged distribution of sacks of rice that was reportedly used for "campaigning" and was charged against the calamity fund.

In an phone interview yesterday, Garcia said the rice distribution was a Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS)-initiated program, and it has been done regularly.

Being under the Office of the Mayor as part of the executive branch, Garcia said the program is attached to his office.

Councilor Mary Ann de Los Santos, in a privilege speech, outlined several alleged issues with the distribution program.

First, de Los Santos said she noted that no declaration of a State of Calamity has been issued by the City Council, as per Republic Act 10121 of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

De los Santos said that a state of calamity declaration is needed in order to utilize disaster funds.

She said the latest declaration of a State of Calamity approved by the council was on March 27, 2024, which declared a State of Emergency for 28 mountain barangays due to the ill effects of El Niño. She said Barangay Duljo Fatima was not included in the declaration.

Second, de los Santos criticized the manner in which the sacks of rice were distributed, saying it “left much to be desired.” Citing a posted video, de Los Santos said some men in plain clothes climbed up the truck and “threw” the sacks of rice on the ground while others carried them off to an unknown area.

For his part, Garcia said that the distribution was done in an orderly manner with people lining up.

“Pero di man gud na nimo malikayan nga naa gud nay gubot-gubot,” said Garcia.

He disagreed that the manner of distribution was “undignified.”

“Unsa man diay ilang gusto nga inig hatag sa (bugas), how do you define giving, using dignity?” said Garcia.

Garcia said he does not know yet if there will be other rice distributions to be done anytime soon as the City Government is still waiting for the exemption approval from the Commission on Elections on the disbursement of public funds and distribution of assistance in relation to the May 12 midterm elections.

In the same speech, de los Santos showed a record on the monitor screen disclosing that the distributed rice was reportedly part of the 166,600 sacks procured from A1 Milling Corporation for more than P49 million “sometime late last year.”

Garcia said that he will ask the Department of General Services for the inventory of the purchase of the P49 million worth of sacks of rice that the council had brought up.

“But I am 110 percent sure that the rice distributed was under the DSWS budget and not under disaster,” said Garcia. (CEBU NEWS)