Junjun helps Gweyn in Bantayan
GWEYN Garcia, 28, worked as a bookkeeper in Bantayan Island to raise her son.
Garcia, who has rheumatoid arthritis, had asked the Cebu Provincial Government to provide assistance to persons with disabilities (PWDs) like her since she is just earning P1,500 a month.
She was among the residents in the municipality of Bantayan who sought help from Gov. Hilario Davide III during the meeting held at the Bantayan municipal gym yesterday.
In an interview, Garcia said she submitted a resume to several companies and to the Municipal Hall to apply for a job but she did not get any feedback.
“I just got work recently. Some people think I cannot perform my job because of my disability,” she said in Cebuano.
Garcia eventually got hired at the Christian Life Church in Bantayan but she said her salary is still not enough.
So Garcia and other PWDs in the island will be given financial aid, Davide asked them to form an organization and have it accredited by the Provincial Board.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale offered a scholarship program and livelihood training for them.
But while it is not yet in place, the Province distributed 30 wheelchairs to the PWDs of the three towns of the island. The Church of Latter-day Saints also gave 15 wheelchairs. Garcia is one of its beneficiaries. Garcia is pleased she got one, saying that the wheelchair she’s been using since high school has a damaged seat.
During the meeting, Kabac Barangay Capt. Gregorio Santillan also shared the village’s problem on their water system and dilapidated roads.
Bantayan Mayor Art Despi told Santillan that a water system project was included in the municipal’s supplemental budget for this year.
As to the dilapidated roads, Davide directed the provincial engineer to check it.
Town Councilor Leopoldo Umbao also took the opportunity yesterday to hand the resolution requesting Davide to provide 320 solar-powered lampposts for the roads leading to Santa Fe and Madridejos.
Barangay officials, for their part, also asked Capitol to address the lack of birth- ing center in the island and the protection of its sanctuaries.
After the consultative meeting, Davide and Magpale gave a check worth P5.84 million to Bantayan for the construction of duplex houses for 65 families affected by supertyphoon Yolanda in Sitio Silagon, Barangay Sulangan.
Another P1.07 million was given for the installation of water pipeline and electrical connection for the 75 houses built by Capitol and Islamic Relief Organization in a relocation site in Barangay Sillon.
A total of P573,420 was also given to the town for the operation of their material recovery facility and P2.63 million for the 523 farmers affected by locusts infestation last year.
The consultative meeting yesterday was part of the activities lined up by the Province for the second day of Capitol’s Caravan of Services.