Violy vows to champion women's interests

Engr. Violeta Codilla admires a
bag made of tetra packs and a
decorative item made from paper
at the city-run Productivity Skills
Capability Center. The wife of Mayor
Ondo Codilla expressed her desire
to establish a livelihood center for
women in Ormoc.

ENGR. Violeta Codilla will work on setting up a livelihood center in Ormoc. This she bared during the culmination program for the livelihood training of 66 women at the city-run Productivity Skills Capability Building (PSCB) wherein they were taught to make items out of indigenous materials.

The trainees consisted mostly of housewives but also included 13 public school teachers who wanted to upgrade their skills for the Alternative Learning System. They completed 21 days of trainings on dressmaking, 12 trainees; reflexology, 19; decorative items and flower-making, 13; and bag-making, 12.

It was the first time for the wife of Mayor Edward C. Codilla to visit PSCB and she was impressed by the finished products on display made of recyclable materials. These included bags made of tetra packs and tarpaulins as well as decorative items from recycled paper.

Engr. Codilla saw the potential in the craftsmanship of the items that she thought of influencing her mayor husband to put up a livelihood center where PCSB trainees can be employed and their products marketed locally and abroad. PCSB has 68 sewing machines used for its trainings.

Engr. Codilla advocates for women empowerment, having first-hand knowledge on the plight of housewives based on her experience in running a construction business. “Sa akong nakit-an sa akong business, I have 500+ pulos gyud na lalaki ang empleyado,” she said.

“Sometimes ang mga asawa musumbong sa ako nga ang ilang bana pag-abot kulatahon sila, usahay makauyab na didto sa project (site). Ang sumbongan sa mga asawa diri sa akoa. Ang isulti nga daog-daogon sila, katunga na lang ang suweldo (nga ihatag),” Engr. Codilla narrates.

“Usahay naay mga bana nga abusado, maghubog-hubog sugad. Usahay muapil sa drugs unya kulatahon dayon (ang asawa) inig-abot (sa balay). Maayo ra ba dako’g suweldo, ‘no? Luoy kaayo ang mga babaye so gusto nako ang kababayen-an ug mga inahan maoy unahon nga kamo dili na daog-daogon sa mga bana,” she continues.

Engr. Codilla finds women more trustworthy. “Sa akong opisina dili kaayo ko mu-accept og lalaki. Kay ngano? Ang lalaki man gyud dili kaayo responsible parte sa documentation. Mura’g ang ilang panarbaho dili ingon nga meticulous. Ang mga lalaki maayo sila sa field work,” she says matter-of-factly.

“Ang babaye nakit-an nako nga serious kaayo sa pagtrabaho. Kung tagaan nimo og responsibility, matuman og 90%. Pero ang lalaki usahay mu-absent kay nahubog, namista, nagsugal. Mura’g ang akong pagsalig sa mga lalaki sa opisina i-compare nimo sa babaye lahi ra,” she goes on.

Now that she has retired and her children have taken over the family business, Engr. Codilla vows to work for women’s interests. “Gusto nako nga ang mga kababayen-an naay kaugalingon nga panginabuhi, dili magsalig sa bana. Gusto nako ang mga babaye mubarog gyud kita – kitay mualibyo sa pamilya.” she said.

Mayor Ondo officiates mass wedding

Mayor Edward Codilla and wife Violy pose with one of the
newlyweds and their family. (Photo by Josie Serseña)

THE City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) conducted a mass wedding at the multipurpose hall of City Hall on the 19^th of this love month. Mayor Edward C. Codilla officiated the wedding ceremony of 76 couples from different barangays.

Despite being a public ceremony, it had the trimmings of a church ceremony complete with entourages consisting of flower girls; ring, coin and Bible bearers; bridesmaids and groomsmen. The couples walked down the aisle with live music provided by singers.

There were also sponsors led by Engr. Violy Codilla, the mayor’s wife. The others are Councilors Godiardo Ebcas, Antonio Codilla and John Eulalio Nepomuceno Aparis III; Association of Barangay Chairmen president Lea Doris Capuyan-Villar; Civil Registrar Dr. Archilles Silva; CSWDO Officer Marietta Legaspi; and Barangay chairmen Melbur Melgazo of Linao, Marina Placido of Macabug and Esmeralda Galos of Airport; and Fe Into, kagawad of Milagro.

To make the occasion more special, a reception followed consisting of a bridal dance, partaking of cake, wine toast, tossing of bouquet, garter toss and releasing of balloons. CSWDO organized the wedding to legalize the couples’ union so they can avail of legal claims entitled to families.

In her message, Engr. Codilla gave the newlyweds tips on how to have a fulfilling married life. She said that life is not a bed of roses as what she learned in her 32 years of marriage with the mayor. She adds that honesty and understanding are a big factor for a successful marriage.

She advised the couples against leaving the house whenever there is misunderstanding, adding that confronting the problem is the best way to solve it. In these hard times, she advised the wives to make their own living to augment their husbands’ income. It was learned that Engr. Codilla will sponsor a church wedding for the lucky couples. by Josephine Serseña

ESA complainants turn out to be unqualified beneficiaries

THE 13^th Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Committee on Social Welfare, Senior Citizens, Women and Family conducted a meeting regarding complaints of beneficiaries who did not receive their share of the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA). The ESA is a cash grant provided to families whose house were either damaged or destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda.

Beneficiaries under the “totally damaged” home category were supposed to receive P30,000 which was given in two releases. The first release worth P15,713.25 was given beginning June 2015 and the second worth P14,286.75 started last December.

It was learned that most of the complainants that attended the meeting were housing beneficiaries of Red Cross, making them ineligible to receive the ESA based on the guidelines of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as contained in Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 24 s. 2014.

Section VII no. 4 of MC 24 specifically states that “For families listed in the DSWD-DFAC (Disaster Assistance Family Access Card) but have already received a permanent, full shelter assistance from international and non-government organizations, and from the private sector, said families shall no longer be eligible for ESA.”

City Legal Officer Ivan Verallo explained that during the first release on June 15, 2015, some of the complainants have not received their housing units, making them eligible for the ESA. During the second release last December however, they already fall under the category of MC 24 Section VII no. 4 as they have received their housing units.

Verallo said he already met and explained to the complainants their situation. But they told him they have some neighbors who are housing beneficiaries like them yet still received the second release. When asked however to identify those neighbors, the complainants were hesitant to give names.

Former DSWD regional director Nestor Ramos earlier said that giving ESA to unqualified families is considered technical malversation for which the releasing officer can be charged with. “Kung dili tungod sa guidelines sa DSWD, mahatagan mo,” Verallo told the complainants.

He adds: “Ingon pa gani ang Red Cross nga, nganong mangayo pa sila ana nga P30,000 man lang ang ESA (samtang) ang value sa (balay nga) among gihatag sa ilaha P80,000-P100,000?” Verallo said they will ask permission from DSWD OIC Director Restituto Macuto to release the ESA to housing beneficiaries.

Verallo warned that they will, upon DSWD’s order, initiate legal action against housing beneficiaries who received the ESA, adding that there are ways and means to do so even if the money is already spent. ESA recipients were made to sign an affidavit holding them liable if it is proven they are not qualified beneficiaries based on MC 24.

Verallo also informed they are studying if the excess amount from the unclaimed ESA can be given to qualified beneficiaries whose names, for one reason or another, did not make it to the master list. Other municipalities were made to remit the surplus amount back to DSWD.

“Sa among nasabtan, ang kadtong mga municipalities giuli gyud nila ang kuwarta nga sobra sa DSWD. Pero lagi kami diri ang amoa gyud gusto mahatag sa mga tawo. So kung muingon ang DSWD nga hatagi kanang sobra nga kuwarta ninyo ihatag to sa mga wa sa lista apan kuwalipikado, that would be a very good news kay ato gyud nang ihatag,” Verallo remarked.

However, this would mean another round of screening as the number of beneficiaries who claim to have not received the ESA have reached more than 10,000. “Apan kung muingon ang DSWD nga i-uli ka nila ang kuwarta nga sobra sama sa gibuhat sa ubang lungsod, wa gyud tay mabuhat,” added Verallo.

ESA complainants who did not receive the shelter aid hold a rally at the plaza on Jan. 29 to air their grievance. (Photo by Dante Raden)