Cash gifts for 132 health workers ready for distribution, says Tanco
ROXAS CITY – Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr. said that the P700 cash gifts for 132 barangay health workers who complained that they were not able to get it last December 23, are now ready for distribution.
Tanco clarified that there was just a little misunderstanding between the one giving the cash gifts and the barangay health workers.
He also said that the distribution was not done in the civic center since the municipal government of Panay did not welcome the said gift-giving and instead the venue was held at the house of Mr. Nene Asis.
In reaction to this, Panay Mayor Dante Bermejo said that irregardless of the political affiliation, the provincial government should not by-pass the local chief executive.
Asis, who is running for mayor against Bermejo in Panay, is the standard bearer of Liberal Party (LP) and supporter of Tanco in May 10, 2010 election.
Earlier, some 132 barangay health workers from Panay, Capiz sent a letter of complaint to Gov. Tanco that they were not able to receive their P700 cash gift last December.
Salvacion Baria, president of the Community Volunteer Health Workers Federation of Capiz (CVHWFC), informed Tanco that the health workers from barangays Bato, Agablo, Bago Chiquito, Agbanban, Daga, Candual, Linao, Bahit, Lus-unan, and Tanza Sur failed to receive the intended cash gift.
The health workers said that they went to Panay civic center on Dec. 23, 2009 to get the cash gift promised by the provincial government. They were told that to receive the amount, provided, they must sign the payroll brought by Myrna Bermundo, sanitary inspector II of the Capiz Provincial Health Office.
After signing the payroll, they were asked to proceed to the house of Asis at the Poblacion. There, Bermundo told them that there is no available money for them.
The health workers then proceeded to the Capiz Provincial Capitol but they were also told that there is no more money for them.
But Bermundo denied claims that she refused to give the cash gift to the health workers. She said she merely followed the instruction to only give money to workers who will personally appear at the said venue. She also denied saying invectives at the health workers.
Bermundo explained that those who are complaining did not go to Asis’ house.
