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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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ILOILO City – Rice and other relief goods were allegedly being smuggled out of the City Social Welfare and Development Office’s (CSWDO) warehouse.
This allegation making the rounds on social media and radio prompted Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog yesterday to order an investigation.
In an executive order, he created an ad hoc committee to do the probe on the reported unauthorized releases.
The allegation emerged as the city government was struggling to meet the needs of families displaced by fire in Barangay Lopez Jaena Norte, La Paz district on Sunday. A total of 52 houses
were totally gutted while four were partially damaged.
If claims on social media were to be believed, a motor vehicle of CSWDO was seen delivering sacks of rice to certain stores.
Mabilog also formed a physical inventory team to check CSWDO’s warehouse.
CSWDO head Fred Villanueva said the allegation surprised him, too. He vowed to also conduct an investigation.
“Para ma-correct ta ang image sang CSWDO,” said Villanueva who has been working at the office over four decades.
Now 64 years old, he is preparing to retire next year.
Villanueva said he couldn’t recall a time when city residents displaced by whatever calamities complained of not receiving assistance, most especially rice, from the CSWDO.
“Daw indi ko magpati,” he said of the allegation that CSWDO relief goods were being stolen by the office’s own staff.
Villanueva also said he would never gamble his retirement benefits.
Retiring government officials with pending criminal and administrative cases may not be able to enjoy their retirement benefits until their cases have been resolved in their favor.
Villanueva said CSWDO has supply and administrative officers overseeing the release of relief goods from their warehouse.
Among others, CSWDO provides rice for the supplemental feeding program of day care centers in the city.
“Pag-deliver na, may RIS (request issue slip) ina nga signed by the day care workers,” said Villanueva.
On Monday following the La Paz fire, Mabilog appealed for more help from the public. He said the city government’s financial assistance of from P2,500 to P5,000 was not enough for households that the fire displaced.
The fact-finding committee Mabilog created was headed by City Legal Office chief Atty. Lorna G. Laurea with Atty. Roledo De la Cruz and Atty. Flymore Gascon and General Services Offices head Joren Sartorio as members.
The physical inventory team, meanwhile, was composed of Atty. Joan Montaño, head of the Internal Audit and Services Office, and Norwin Diaz, job order contractor under the City Legal Office, and the members of the secretariat.
CSWDO provide relief goods such as sardines, noodles and rice to the fire victims but Mabilog said they did not have kitchen utensils like cooking pots, ladles, spoons and forks, among others.
“Basi may ma-share kamo, pasalamatan gid na nila,” said Mabilog.
The fire victims also needed clothes, towels, soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpastes, added the mayor.
Some of them temporarily sought shelter at the barangay hall of Lopez Jaena Norte and the Aglipayan Church in La Paz while others stayed with relatives./PN
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