ZAMBOANGA CITY - Beneficiaries of the local government’s Vida programs continue to blame opposition councilors for thrashing the pro-assistance intended for senior citizens and the disadvantage sector of the community.
‘Lobregat, Dalipe allies rejected Vida programs’
Mayor Beng Climaco said the opposition councilors, who are allies of former Congressman Celso Lobregat and incumbent Congressman Mannix Dalipe, killed the Vida programs after they removed vital funding in the 2021 Executive Budget.
One such program is the Largo Vida, an initiative that Climaco started in 2018 and which she intends to expand to over 60,000 beneficiaries this year.
Climaco identified the opposition councilors as Monsi dela Cruz, John Dalipe, BG Guingona, Mike Alavar, Litlit Macrohon, Khymer Olaso, Lilibeth Nuño, Cary John Pioc, VP Elago, Gerky Valesco and Jerry Perez.
Dela Cruz and the younger Dalipe ran under Climaco’s political party, but eventually broke off ties after winning the 2019 polls and aligned themselves with Lobregat’s Team Colorao. Climaco defeated Lobregat in the election after winning a landslide victory over the veteran politician.
There were reports that Lobregat will again run for mayor and
also the elder Dalipe with his brother possibly gunning for a congressional
seat. Or Dalipe to seek re-election in the congressional race with his younger
brother to run as vice mayor of Lobregat.
Climaco
vowed to provide more assistance to tens of thousands of beneficiaries of her various
pro-poor Vida programs, especially the elderly and the poor, and the
disadvantage sector, including people with disabilities, among others.
The
mayor said the Vida programs aim to create a more lasting and meaningful impact
on the lives of all its beneficiaries. “We need to empower our people and
create a more lasting and meaningful impact on their lives, their families and
communities. Deseo de atun todo dale mas largo y buen vida na de atun maga
abuelo y abuela na Ciudad de Zamboanga,” she said.
“It is
with deep regret that (opposition) majority of the members of the City Council
resolutely removed vital appropriations in the FY (Fiscal Year) 2021 Executive
Budget of the City Government of Zamboanga. Very important social services
programs such as the Largo Vida, Salva Vida and Cuida Vida, which could have
benefited senior citizens, low income families, disadvantaged communities,
marginalized sectors, most affected families of the Covid-19 pandemic and other
vulnerable members of society, were unfoundedly scrapped,” she added.
Climaco
said the actions of the Lobregat-Dalipe allies in the City Council will have a
direct effect to some 17,000 senior citizens and all 400 “Vida lifeliners,”
including women and those who are out-of-school and mostly breadwinners of
their families, who were tapped to tirelessly deliver health assistance
door-to-door to every elderly beneficiaries of the Largo Vida.
“These
(Vida) programs were carefully planned by the Executive Department to be
sustainable and to introduce a trailblazing brand of service to our
constituents that is projected to have a significant impact in the lives of the
target beneficiaries. These programs cannot be replaced by mere dole-outs and
cash donations that were not studied and haphazardly thought-out. Those
(opposition council) members who voted to remove funding for such vital
programs must face the people of Zamboanga City and must be held responsible
and accountable for such irrepressible action,” she said.
“It is
not just cash that is needed, we need a more comprehensive program that will
genuinely and sustainably empower our people through medicines, access to
critical social services and livelihood to make our people resilient and
survive the day to day challenges while we are under a pandemic. Necesita kita
dale servicio de calidad because our people deserve only the best,” the mayor
added.
It is
only during the time of Climaco that such programs and social services
benefitted thousands of senior citizens and the vulnerable sector.
“It is
only during our administration that we were able to introduce a wide-range of
social services to our senior citizens – birthday cash incentives, free
maintenance medicines, free movie screening and other key forms of assistance. We
intend to expand these to a more comprehensive package, not only for our senior
citizens, but also social packages for other vulnerable sectors especially for
our society’s patriarchs and matriarchs, PWDs (persons with disabilities) and
other vulnerable sectors, the marginalized, low-income families in
disadvantaged rural and urban communities and most affected families of the
Covid-19 pandemic, who are in need of these social protection programs, now
more than ever,” Climaco said.
Climaco
previously accused opposition councilors of delaying the approval of the 2021
Executive Budget even as thousands of residents also signed manifestoes
supporting the local government’s pro-poor programs, among others, included in
the P4.38 billion annual financial plan. “Let us not mix politics into the
discussion of our budget because we are all accountable to the people we serve.
Leave politics to the elections in 2022. We must not deprive the people, the
senior citizens, the farmers, the fisherfolks, the sick, and the hungry the
needed support from the local government,” the mayor said in her previous
statement.
Help Us
Vida lifeliners said they were affected by the actions of the opposition councilors.
“Ta pide yo con el 11 consejales que hace bira canamon el
Largo Vida cay ya perde gat el mi trabajo por causa con uste. Yo lang el ta
puede trabaja y dale suporta na de mi familia aqui na casa. O jala ta pide yo
con ustedes maga consejales que hace bira otravez el de amun programa. o jala
ta oi ustedes canamon maga lifeliners y los demas staff, ta pide kami con
ustedes hace bira canamon alle na trabajo,” said a weeping Jennifer Francisco,
a resident of Barangay Mercedes who was among the 400 Vida lifeliners who lost
their job.
Another lifeliner, Rosalina Galvez of the same barangay, said: “Aqui yo ahora ta habla el de mi sentido por causa con el Largo Vida que ya quita el 11 consejales ese de amon trabajo. Grande ayuda se canamom cay ta omenta cosa necesita para na de amon familia. Kame ta hace buenamente el de amon trabajo para puede ayuda na maga senior citizens na de ila daily maintenance. Porque sila no quierre apruba el programa ta dele si Mam Beng para ayuda na maga senior citizens? Con el 11 consejales que no quierre con el Largo Vida, era pensa ustedes buenamente con el maga senior citizens y lifeliners, cosa pasa si queda nohay mas el programa de Largo Vida?
Nurhaida Indanan, a lifeliner from Campo Islam, also appealed to the opposition councilors to continue the Vida programs. “Sa 11 na councilors, sana po ituloy ninyo yun Largo Vida program ni Mam Beng kasi kailangan talaga ng mga senior citizens namin ang medicina at kami kailangan (rin) namin yun trabaho, pang bigas at isda namin.”
Editha
Francisco, a senior citizen from Barangay Mercedes, said the free medicines she
gets from the Largo Vida is a big help to her poor family and also appealed to
the opposition councilors to bring back the vital health program of the local
government.
“Ta apela yo con el 11 consejales yan contra con el Largo
Vida, era man pabor ya ustedes con el de atun Mayor que continua con el Largo
Vida cay necesita kami el de amun medicina,” she said.
This was also echoed by another elderly from Barangay
Mercedes. “Ta pide yo na maga consejales, con Dalipe que continua el dalida del
medicina que ta dale bajo na Largo Vida program de Mam Beng,” said 67-year old
Maribel Lorenz.
But for the 83-year old Romana Duterte, a resident of
Barangay Tugbungan, the Largo Vida program is the her only lifeline being a widow.
“Gusto nako ibalik ang Largo Vida kay kailangan jud nako ako ang maintenance (medicines)
ug vitamins. Kailangan jud ko an medicina dili kuwarta, unya wala, na unsa man
pud ako lang man solo kay patay na akong bana, igsuon, akoang anak isa naa na
man pamilya. Kinsa magtabang sa akoa?” she asked.
Vida Programs
The
local chapter of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the
Philippines headed by its president, Elsa Natividad, said the local
government’s various humanitarian programs for the elderly, particularly the
Largo Vida through its hardworking lifeliners, provide not only social
services, but medicines and vitamins to thousands of senior citizens and
vulnerable members of the community.
The
Largo Vida program is supposed to originally get P187 million from the 2021
Executive Budget and also part of the local government’s social services is the
“Ayuda La Vida program,” which will supposedly have P65 million budget to
provide various sectors with livelihood programs, including those in the night
market and “ukay-ukay” stall owners.
On the
other hand, the “Cuida Vida program” or Soup Kitchen Program was originally to
get P50 million allocation to cover mobile feeding initiative in a bid to
sustain the daily meals of the marginalized and most affected families of the
Covid-19 pandemic.
An
allocation of P50 million was also included in the budget for the “Salva Vida” program
which is intended to provide food packs and hygiene kits to low-income families
in disadvantaged rural and urban communities in the different barangays. The original
budget likewise allocated P15 million for outreach programs to the 98
barangays, and P100 million for socialized housing programs.
And
another P50 million for “Siembra Vida program” intended to provide training,
livelihood and caravan projects, including activities of the agri-fishery
sector; and a total of P906 million for investments in infrastructure and
developmental projects.
But all
these were flatly rejected by the opposition councilors.
Climaco
said the 2021 Executive Budget was a unique configuration of fiscal plans which
assimilate all the previously identified needs of the City and the new
challenges brought about by the pandemic. “This budget encompasses all of our
social and health-related needs during this crisis. It aims to feed the hungry
and heal the sick, hence let us listen to the needs of our people and find it
in our hearts to see that this is more than a fiscal plan – it is our roadmap
to health and recovery from the global challenge, that is Covid-19,” she said.
She
said the Largo Vida Program includes some P26 million appropriated for the
“birthday” benefits of senior citizens and P1 million for octogenarians or
person who is from 80 to 89 years old; nonagenarians or those who are 90 to 99
years old; and centenarians or those who are 100 years old and above; and
another P5 million for people with disabilities.
“Since
our society’s patriarchs and matriarchs are in need of these social protection
programs, now more than ever, as well as our PWDs and other vulnerable sectors,
we have included P26 million appropriation for the birthday benefits of our
elderly people, and P1 million for the Octogenarian, Nonagenarian and
Centenarian; and P5 million (or PWDs,” the mayor stressed.
“As
evident in our plans and programs, the beneficiaries of this budget are not
limited to a privileged few. This budget, by all intents and purposes, is
for all the compueblanos of Zamboanga because as the Mother of this City, I
will always be driven by my instinct to protect and nurture my children from
the economic turmoil and ill effects of this pandemic,” Climaco said.
And
because of the pandemic, Climaco said her administration also provided the
needed funding to ensure surge capacity management of health personnel and
health facilities. She added that P112 million are provided in the budget for
Covid-10 contact tracing programs, and P14.7 million as additional aid to all
barangays for Covid-19 related activities of their Barangay Health Emergency
Response Teams; and P358 million for drugs and medicines, which includes P 200
million for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines.
Climaco
said there is also P42 million for the “Medicare Para Sa Masa Program” to
increase PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation) coverage and
number of sponsored members from 8,900 beneficiaries to 11,823; and P100
million for construction and rehabilitation of hospitals and health centers
plus P110 million for the construction of multi-purpose buildings and P11
million more for the construction of emergency quarantine facilities. She said
the budget included P12 million utility subsidy for 6,000 registered micro,
small and medium enterprises.
Testimonials
“Ta
pide lang gayot yo o jala aquel Largo Vida continua el ayuda para tiene buen
salud el de atun mga senior citizens por causa hindi todo maga senior citizens
tiene sen que compra cosa el maintenance (medicine) de ila. Poreso ta pide yo
si puede continua gat el ayuda del Largo Vida por causa parte aqui canamon
ariba na Latuan cay el maga jente aqui bien pobre gayot si puede lang continua
el Largo Vida cay cosa-cosa ta senti el de atun maga de edad ya.” - Jimmy
Acosta, Barangay chairman of Latuan.
“Masakit
sa amin na alisin ang Largo Vida, bakit si (Councilor) Monsi (dela Cruz) ang
mag-alis-alis ng Largo Vida. Ang Largo Vida ang nakakatulong sa amin, yan ang
bigas at isda namin. Ang mga senior citizens parang pinatay na rin nila dahil
maraming seniors ang walang maintenance nila.”
“Maraming
(senior citizens) dito sa Campo Islam ang hindi miyembro ng (SSS/GSIS) pension,
so ang mga senior dito ay puro pobre, kahit sumama pa si Monsi dito sa Campo
Islam ang seniors dito ay puro pobre hindi katulad niya na mayaman. Sana
mamulat siya, bakit ganyan ang ugali niya? So nagpapasalamt kami kay Mam Beng
dahil binigyan niya kami ng hanap-buhay. Ipaglaban mo kami Mam Beng at sa iyo
kami.” - Adarla Jammang, Largo Vida life-liner in Campo Islam.
“Ahora
que modo ya lang kami, el de mio marido nohay ya man trabajo, tiene pa ele
diabetes, tiene pa ele hypertension. Amo ya lang aquel (maga medicina estaba na
Largo Vida) el de amon esperanza. Bien duele ya gat se canamon si quita sila
(opposition councilors) ese Largo Vida.” - Olivia Galarpe, Largo Vida
beneficiary in Tugbungan.
“No
puede se quita (Largo Vida), paquimodo man kami, grande gat se ayuda de Mam
Beng na medicina ta dale kanamon…comigo tiene yo (enfermedad) de Corazon y
aquel medicina ta dale comigo buenamente era. Ese lang gane yo ya pide con
Mam Beng.” - Melinda Alabat, Largo Vida beneficiary in Camino Nuevo.
“Quire
gat kami continua el (dalida) del medicina cay sabe ustedes el fuerza ta dale
kanamon, especialmente yo 72 años ya, ta pide lang gayot yo con el Senior
(Dios) cay si Mayor ya puede gat ele ayuda kanamon. Ta pide gat yo continua gat
si Mayor (con el Largo Vida), ta dale fuerza kanamon, ta dale dormida buen
buenamente gat el maga medicina.” - Erlinda Alam, Largo Vida beneficiary in
Vitali.
“Quere
gat yo extende ese Largo Vida cay necesita gat se kami kay nohay gat kami
budget para conese. Necesita gat se kami, oportunidad ya gat se de amon para
puede toma (medicina estaba na Largo Vida).”- Pilar Ilaga, Largo Vida
beneficiary in Mercedes.
Supports
The
mayor said the local government continues to provide monthly allowances to
about 7,812 public school heads and teachers, and also 1,878 members of the
Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the
Bureau of Fire Protection. “This is a simple token and in recognition of the
valuable support and contributions of our fellow public servants,” she said.
“Moreover,
we have increased the honoraria of 460 barangay health workers, 90 barangay
nutrition scholars, 350 day-care workers and 980 barangay tanods from P2,000 to
P3,000 per month since we acknowledge their courage and endless dedication in
their field,” Climaco explained.
Aside
from those, Climaco said her administration also provides aid to non-government
entities such as the Boy and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Philippine Red
Cross, Cooperatives, drug rehabilitation center, farmers and fisherfolk and
even the Reception and Study Center for Children, among others; and also to
national government agencies – litigation courts and national high schools and
others. (Zamboanga Post)
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