Mayor Uy: few suppliers

stall rice aid distribution

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—As the Provincial Government kicks off its second wave of the distribution of some 10-kilo from the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program (BPRP) to 86,000 indigent families, fourth to sixth class towns still could hardly engage suppliers for the 10 kilo rice packs.

The hurdle now for local government units procuring the 10 kilo rice packs worth P5 million, at a time when all LGUS, including provincial governments, is qualifying and bidding from limited suppliers.

Cortes Mayor Rodrigo Dennis Uy shares this concern as a chief executive of a 5th class town still has over 3,000 families to cover in its local distribution to beneficiary indigent families which could not make it to the provincial government’s distribution list.

Himself confessing that he gets text messages almost every day from constituents asking when they can finally get their share, mayor Uy added that it has been more than a month since the Provincial Government distributed its rice assistance.

The mayor, who has confirmed receiving P30 million from the government’s Local Government Support Fund, shared that the national government has provided eligible towns the LGSF, where the P5 million has been earmarked, as mandated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., exclusively for rice assistance program.

“The rest of the P30 million would be for local government infrastructure projects,” he added.

But, when the P5 millioin would appear to be a blessing to the town, converting it to the promised goods proved easier said than done.

Bidding for the P5 million worth of 10 kilo rice packs proved to be a challenge for the LGU, as with the other LGUs.

The sheer volume of rice needed to supply the needs of all the towns simultaneously buying P5 million worth of rice in 10 kilo bags is just too much that only a few suppliers in Bohol can qualify, so we have to source out from across the islands, the mayor said.

The Provincial Government distributed 1,157 10 kilo bags in its first wave of assistance last May 20, but the first term executive said his barangays submitted not less than 4,800 recipients, who were supposed to be in the list.

Apparently, the authorities have staved off beneficiaries from the list that only a little over a thousand were included as beneficiaries.

For those who could not receive the assistance from the provincial government, the municipal government would be providing, Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, was quoted as assuring those delisted families from the PLGU beneficiaries.

However, with the P5M from the LGSF, Mayor Uy told those who were in the list that the town would also have its distribution, so that all would be given and no one would be left behind.

As what Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado said those who could not receive rice packs from the province, would get it from the town, that is true, Mayor Uy announced in a video message.

“Pero, magpaabut sa lang ta kay ga bidding pa ‘ta, galisud ta’g pagpangita, dili lang kita ang naglisud og pagpangita og kapalitan sa bugas kay apil ang probinsya ug tibuok nasud. Nakakita na kita’g supplier sa Mindanao kay mingsuroy kita sa Bohol, wala may makadawat sa supply, he said.

We have the supply bid, we have ordered and we are now waiting, hopefully towards the end of the month, we can start the first wave from the locally sourced rice. Everyone (in the list) will get, he assured.

And like the provincial government which will deliver in four waves, Cortes would be having three waves of ten kilo rice and the last would be for 5 kilos, to consummate the P5M supply, he capped. (PIABohol)

APPEAL FOR PATIENCE. Cortes Mayor Rodrigo Dennis Uy appealed to beneficiaries left out in the rice assistance program from the town to be patient a little bit longer as the LGU has used P5M LGSF funds to procure 10 kilo bags of rice, like all other towns. He shared how this sudden volume has become a problem for LGUS intending to deliver the aid quickly. (PIAbohol)