IDFI to release P230T police meal allowance
Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) Executive Director Ben Jimena said the foundation is set to release P230,000 for the meal allowance of security force particularly for members of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO). The meal allowance is different from the gasoline allowance provided by the city government.
Jimena said the budget will be given to ICPO Director Senior Supt. Wesley Barayuga for his disposal. The budget is not based on per person but it depends on the city director on how he will divide the amount for the meal allowance of his police personnel.
There is an estimated 6,000 security force to be deployed in the city's different streets for crowd control and to maintain peace and order in the different judging areas. The security force will be composed of police personnel, personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, barangay tanod and ROTC students. Bulk of the security force will be assigned in five judging areas.
The executive director made his announcement in yesterday's Dinagyang press briefing. He issued the statement regarding the police meal allowance to prevent a repeat of controversy just like what happened last year. Number of police personnel who acted as security force during the 2006 Dinagyang festivity complained of not receiving any meal allowance.
Jimena wanted the police personnel to know that the foundation has budget for their meal allowance this year and even in previous Dinagyang celebrations. His pronouncements will give the police personnel an idea on how much will be given to the ICPO for their meal allowance.
Meanwhile, Lea Lara of the Iloilo Business Club said they have tapped the local bakeries to provide bread, noodles and juices for the students. Lara said they could provide food for the students but she could not exactly determine the volume.
Students meal allowance is not included in the foundation's list of expenditures. Though, they also belong to the security force.