BACOLOD City — Around 80 food vouchers issued by the City Mayor’s Office are now under legal review by the City Legal Office (CLO) following questions about their validity for redemption.
Mae Cuaycong, special assistant to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, said two food kiosk operators, who participated in the recent MassKara Festival at Bacolod Public Plaza, are facing uncertainty over the redemption of their food vouchers. Although the city is currently releasing payments for verified vouchers, payment for 57 vouchers and an additional 20-plus vouchers from these two kiosks has been withheld pending clarification.
The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Inc. (BYFI), the organizer of the 2024 MassKara Festival, provided the city with a list of legitimate kiosk operators authorized to accept vouchers in exchange for food items. However, these two operators were reportedly not on the BYFI list, indicating that their kiosks had closed prior to the city’s decision to extend the festival and food kiosk operations due to inclement weather caused by Typhoon Kristine.
The CLO is now seeking justification from the kiosk owners on why they have vouchers.
As of November 12, more than P2 million has been disbursed to food kiosk owners for validated vouchers. Mayor Benitez allocated P2.5 million from his personal funds for the food voucher program, which involved issuing 12,500 vouchers valued at P200 each.
In response to typhoon-related disruptions, Mayor Benitez extended the MassKara Festival until October 31, allowing food kiosks to operate longer at three festival locations: Bacolod Public Plaza, the Bacolod City Government Center, and The Upper East./PN
