Admin Challenges City Dads Not to Eat for Two Days

Talisay City administrator John Yre delos Reyes challenged four city councilors to go on a willful hunger strike for two days so they would feel what the people in the northern Cebu would feel if no one would help them.

“I challenge them: ayaw mo kaon og bisag duha ka adlaw. Tan-awon nato dili ba mo gutmon,” said John Yre in defense to Mayor Johnny delos Reyes, his father.

John Yre’s statement came after Councilors Dennis Basillote, Choy Aznar, Aldin Diaz and Danilo Caballero criticized Delos Reyes for helping the northern Cebu without the council’s approval. The four councilors said that the city should focus on helping its own people first rather than others outside its jurisdiction.

John Yre said the people in the north would starve if the mayor had waited for the council to approve a resolution allowing him to purchase rice, canned goods and noodles for them. He added the calamity happened on Friday while the council held its regular session last Tuesday, which means four-day waiting time, plus another day to purchase the goods for the victims to get the reliefs from the city. “Wa nila huna-hunaa nga ang mga tawo gigutom. Pahuwaton nila nga mg-session sila? Five days after pa sila nag-session. Sila kuno’y dili pakan-on og lima ka adlaw, mosugot ba sila,” John Yre said.

The City Administrator explained that under the Local Government Code the mayor has the executive power, with or without a council resolution, to use the calamity funds for relief and rescue operations, even if these are for other local government units.

In response to Basillote’s statement that the city should help its people first before going to other places to distribute reliefs, John Yre said the city has already been doing it. The city administrator said these four councilors should check first with the City Social Welfare Office to know the real story “sa dili pa sila magpataka og yawyaw.” Kay mura’g wa gyud sila’y kalibutan sa mga gipangbuhat sa mayor nga wa pay bagyo gasuroy-suroy na, ug sa local DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). Pangutan-on nila si Ma’am Bebeth Solana kung ganahan sila makahibaw nga natabangan pa ang mga tawo o wa,” he said.

John Yre said that as of Wednesday at least 4,000 families, particularly those who are evacuated and flooded during the typhoon, were given relief goods, and the distribution continues until every single family gets the same aid. He added that in the coming days the city will also be handing out housing materials to families whose homes were damaged, partially or totally, by Yolanda.

“Nadugay lang ni kay gasige pa og assess ang DSWD. But we are definitely providing assistance to our own people,” he said adding that the city was lucky it was not hit badly like Medellin, Daanbantayan, Bogo City, Bantayan Island and other towns in the north. “Supposedly magpasalamat unta ni sila nga wa ta naigo, mao’ng nitabang ta sa uban. Dili manaway sa gibuhat sa syudad. Wa man sad gud ni sila kabati og gutom kay mga datu man ni sila,” he said.

Since last Sunday, the city has distributed reliefs to the different towns of northern Cebu. Despite the criticisms the administration is getting even from administration councilors, Caballero and Diaz, John Yre said Delos Reyes will continue the distribution in the towns of Bantayan Island and in Camotes town.