Relief ops in Maribojoc ongoing despite dispute with mayor – Red Cross

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has resumed its relief operations in Maribojoc town in quake-hit Bohol despite its reported dispute with Mayor Leoncio Evasco Jr.

Interviewed on GMA News' "Unang Hirit" on Friday, PRC secretary general Gwen Pang said they would rather not comment on the disagreement as their focus is on the ongoing relief efforts.

"I'm so sorry (but) kung tungkol pa rin po sa issue with Mayor Evasco, ayaw na po namin sagutin sa Red Cross dahil sinagot na po namin lahat-lahat since Monday (at) nagiging counterproductive na po tayo," Pang said.

"We want to focus our attention to the most needy," she added.

Evasco and PRC volunteers locked horns last week after the mayor stopped the relief operations of the PRC in the town for allegedly failing to follow the centralized system of “equitable” distribution of relief goods.

The PRC volunteers allegedly declined to hand over the relief goods to the local officials who will in turn distribute them to the affected families.

“Ang policy kung ano ang dumating, sa munisipyo dapat i-sentro para makaabot sa lahat ng residente ng Maribojoc, fairly and equitably,” Evasco said. “They (PRC) insisted to distribute, sabi ko ayaw ko nang ganun, they insisted to distribute so nagkagulo.”

Pang said relief operations are continuing in Maribojoc, considered to be one of 10 priority areas of the PRC. She also said the PRC is always ready to respond to areas hit by calamities and disasters, whether natural or man-made.

“Tayo po ay may 100 chapters all over the country. Pag ang isang area ay naapektuhan, 'yung ibat-ibang chapters po natin ay tumutulong din po,” Pang explained.

In Bohol alone, the province hardest hit by the October 15 deadly magnitude-7.2 earthquake, nine PRC chapters were deployed.

“I believe we are delivering the work quite well,” Pang said. — Andrei Medina/KBK, GMA News