Pampanga mayor bars 4,500 city employees from taking relief packs

Jun A. Malig

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Pampanga mayor bars 4,500 city employees from taking relief packs
Netizens have mixed reactions to Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo's orders

PAMPANGA, Philippines – Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo barred all employees of the city government from taking their share of relief food packs distributed house to house by city social workers, an order that drew mixed reactions from netizens and city employees. 

More or less 4,500 city employees were directed to place signages to direct social workers to skip their homes. The city has over 215,000 residents.

“All Mabalacat LGU employees: As per Mayor Crisostomo Garbo’s directive, kindly post on your gates and/or doors the signage ‘Please Give My Food Pack/Relief Goods to Others’ to inform us that you are a Mabalacat LGU employee and that you are donating your relief pack. Thank you,” reads a post on the city’s Facebook page.

Netizens had mixed reactions to Garbo’s order.

Many welcomed it, saying there are families who need the food packs more than the local government employees.

“Thank you for your generosity. Surely, your donations will be of great use para sa mga nangangailangan talaga (for those who truly need it) during this period. Thumbs up!” said one netizen.

Salamat po sa mga mabubuting puso. Alam ko po nagkukulangan din po kayo ngayon pero mas iniintindi niyo po ‘yung kalagayan ng iba. Kung ako po ganiyan din ang gagawin ko. God bless us all po (You have kind hearts. I know we’re all suffering but you still chose to give to others. I’d do the same if I were in your place. God bless us all),” said another. 

There are others who felt the mayor shouldn’t have imposed on all city employees. Among them were netizens who claimed they worked for the city. 

“It could have been better if they were encouraged through a different way, not directed via FB post. Better also if they were given the chance to decide on what they will do with theirs,” one netizen said. 

“Much better po kung kami na bahala kung kanino ibigay kasi may mga alam din kaming tao na dapat bigyan (It’s much better if it’s up to us to choose who to give it to because we know people who truly need them),” said a netizen who claimed to be an employee.

The Central Luzon police have implemented a similar “selfless” program. Dubbed the “White Ribbon Campaign,” cops encouraged families who can afford to buy their own food and other necessities to tie a white ribbon outside their gates.

Region 3 police director Brigadier General Rhodel Sermonia said the white ribbons will instruct relief goods distributors to skip the house. – Rappler.com

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