Burial aid for veterans must be received by their families-Calizo

”There appears to be an ignorance on the part of the management of the budget to favor the request of the veterans. As provided for by law, isa lang ang kanilang hinihiling and that is the burial benefits na dapat nilang matanggap.”

This was pointed out by Councilor Romeo V. Calizo in his special report during the regular session Monday relative to the failure of the City in releasing the burial assistance to the families of 11 veterans who died in the past three weeks.

With reference to City Ordinance 10597-2007, funding was supposedly appropriated (continuously) in the City’s Annual Budget but unfortunately the same was not received by the qualified recipients in time where they need it most, the councilor lamented.

According to Calizo, the families went to his office and inquired about the procedure in availing the burial assistance, and “I advised them to go to CSWD because in paragraph C of Section 3 of Ordinance 10597-2007 it says… the management of the burial assistance shall be given to the CSWD. But for so many instances when these veterans went to the same office ang mga tubag mao ni…Wala may ordinansa nag ingon ana..wa man mi kabalo ana, naa pa gyud nag-ingon na adtoi didto sa Office of Senior Citizens.” But not all senior citizens are veterans and not all veterans are senior citizens, countered the councilor.

Due to their desperation, the councilor said the families even sought the help from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office in their transaction with the City’s CSWD but still to no avail.The matter was referred to the committee on social services chaired by Councilor Joyleen Mercedes L. Balaba for appropriate action.