‘Move to Makati,’ says Belmonte to residents hankering for free school supplies
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Fri, 24 May 2019 06:30:34 +0000
BARELY a week after she was elected mayor of Quezon City, Joy Belmonte is already under fire from her constituents for allegedly reneging on her campaign promise to provide free school supplies.
And it did not help any that Belmonte told her critics to move instead to Makati City where its government gave out “shoes, boots, rubber shoes, PE and school uniforms, raincoats and allowances to school children.”
In a Facebook post, Belmonte said she could not provide school supplies for free at this time because she did not control the budget and that it was outgoing mayor Herbert Bautista who controlled the funds.
“Go to him and make a request for free school supplies for all the kids in Quezon City,” Belmonte said in Filipino.
She promised anew that when she sits as mayor, she would provide free school supplies to every pupil because she would now be in charge of the programs for the city.
Belmonte, however, posted pictures on social media of her distributing school supplies in several villages (barangay) like Santa Monica, Rosa Susano Elementary School, South Triangle, Barangay Tatalon, and Barangay Pinayahan.
“Wag na kayo kasi magreklamo.. Matagal na silang nakapagbayad…Sa dami ba naman nabigyan ng 1k at P300. Yun nlang pambili nyo ng school supplies,” said Xëröx Antönïnö.
(Stop complaining. They’ve paid their dues. With all those people who have received P1,000 and P300, you can use that to buy school supplies.)
Belmonte explained why unlike in Makati, Quezon City in the past years did not provide free school supplies.
She said Makati City has fewer residents, senior citizens, and informal settlers. Quezon City has 3.2 million and 250,000 informal settlers.
But some residents reminded Belmonte that as vice mayor, the city council has control of the budget. “She could have initiated an ordinance providing budget for free school supplies,” said a constituent who asked not to be named. JAIME PILAPIL
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