‘Largo Vida,’ now a political issue

THE LARGO Vida has now become a big issue as senior citizens and the vulnerable sectors in the community who largely benefit from it, recalled the “great loss” of their benefits after councilors allied with Team Colorao and Team Dalipe “killed” the pro-poor program of Mayor Beng Climaco, who is now running for congresswoman in the May polls.

Senior citizens and the poor could have received more had not the opposition councilors trashed the Vida programs. Beneficiaries of the Vida programs blamed opposition councilors for trashing the assistance intended for senior citizens and the disadvantaged sectors of the community.

The opposition councilors, who are allies of former Congressman Celso Lobregat and incumbent Congressman Mannix Dalipe, removed the Vida program’s vital funding in the P4.38 billion 2021 Executive Budget. One such program is the Largo Vida, an initiative that Climaco started in 2018 and which she had intended to expand to over 60,000 beneficiaries this year.

Climaco identified the opposition councilors as Monsi dela Cruz, who is now dead; 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.

Families of senior citizens and those who benefitted from the Largo Vida vowed to campaign and vote for Team Climaco to ensure that the pro-poor program continues. 

Congressman Cesar “Jawo” Jimenez, who is running for mayor, also blamed opposition councilors for the demise of the Largo Vida program, saying this action had severely affected the pro-poor programs of the Climaco administration. 

On the issue of the Largo Vida program in 2021, bien duele gayod el cosa ya sucede – el Largo Vida program ya corta gat sila Consejal John Dalipe y el entero Team Colorao alli na Concejo de atun. El Concejo no hay poder para aumenta el budget because that is a violation of the law. That is ultra vires y para hace claro na de atun maga vivientes, ese el ta hace sila cosa el bawal, hindi ta permiti el lay, hindi tan allow el law, for example, amo ya gane se - el Concejo hindi puede omenta el budget, el solamente puede sila hace, upon review of the budget of the Executive (Department), puede lang sila mengua, si quiere sila hace cero puede man,” he told TV 11 in an interview and even cited Lobregat’s vote to give zero budget to the Commission on Human Rights during the House budget hearing when he was congressman.

“Egual lang se na Congreso, tiene maga departamento si quiere lang for some reason, ta hace cero gat budget igual antes con Mr Celso Lobregat during his time na Congreso when the proposal came for a zero budget na Commission on Human Rights, he was one of them who supported it,” he added.

Jimenez said if he becomes mayor, he will revive and expand the Largo Vida program to benefit more poor residents, especially the elderly and the most vulnerable sectors. “El importante alli, Number 1 continua kita el Largo Vida program que ta dale ayuda con el maga senior citizens and we will expand the project como aqui ta habla si Mayor Beng quiere le queda 60,000 el maga beneficiaries del Largo Vida and we will do that; and Number 2, continua kita el financial assistance que ta dale con el maga senior citizens de atun como ahora el maga ultra poor,” he said.

He also said the Largo Vida program, a brainchild of Climaco, was the first in Zamboanga and that even Lobregat had no programs for the senior citizens and the poor as now. 

“If you recall during his time, I am referring to Mr Celso Lobregat ya oi ba kita el termino ayuda que ta dale el gobierno local aquel tiempo, ya oi ba kita el senior citizens tiene ya recibe ayuda aquel tiempo, and what was my complaint? My Number 1 complaint during his incumbency as mayor si Mr Celso Lobregat cay el sen ta durmi lang na banco and at that time we have P2 billion dormido na banco and majority (of that) was in time deposits and no puede gat tu mete el sen because that was under contract na private bank pa y hindi habla tu banco de govierno,” Jimenez continued on. 

Jimenez also condemned the spread of fake news by the opposition whom he accused of resorting to black propaganda after he received reports that political foes were telling tricycle drivers that Team Climaco will phase out all motorcycle taxis if it lost in the elections. He branded the report as “recycled” propaganda” which was also used in the 2019 polls. 

“No mas cree, recycled propaganda se. Pero cosa ya pasa? Ya man improve pa kita el situacion del de atun maga tricycle drivers. Imbusterias del 2019 el modo del de ila campaña, imbusterias ya tamen ahora – el maga tricycle drivers pa gane el quien ya recibi maga ayuda financial, hasta maga arroz, maga grocery items because we know afectao sila de ese (Covid-19) pandemia,” he said. 

In the TV interview, Jimenez mentioned the name of Councilor Mike Alavar, an ally of Lobregat, who is allegedly telling residents, both in District 1 and District 2, about the Commission on Audit report of alleged overpriced purchases made by the local government at the height of the Covid-19 health crisis. 

“Cosa ba gat se COA report, habla yo there is an issue pending before an agency of the government, but if we look at it tiene ya ba caso yan file cay si ta oi tu kanila ta man cuento dol yan file ya caso, convicted ya, y dol tiene ya decision el corte. If you look at it el modo y estilo del campaña del Team Colorao, si oi tu tan campaña sila, dol sila el complainant, sila el prosecutor, y sila pa el judge.” 

“And we cannot do that because that is not allowed obviously habla tu maka-miedo if they based their campaign an on advocacy that is not true, actually ta man poison el mind del maga vivientes de atun ta hace kita kanila imbusterias,” he said. 

Jimenez urged residents who are attending these (Team Colorao) meetings to record the conversation with their (cell phone) cameras. “And if they asked you to stop, uno lang el rason kay ta habla sila imbusterias,” he said. 

There was no immediate statement from Team Colorao on all the allegations made by Jimenez. (Zamboanga Post)