BACOLOD City – What could have caused the unexpected big crowd of people that converged at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) last week?
The City Legal Office (CLO) is set to probe the incident to know if anyone or any group could have directly caused such an influx of people on Sept. 26.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered CLO head Joselito Bayatan to spearhead the investigation.
The crowding was supposedly in relation to an interview activity being conducted by the Department Social Services and Development (DSSD) for financial assistance program granted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Leonardia said since this will not be the last time the DSSD will be undertaking such interviews, the findings of the CLO will be useful in establishing future systems and strategies to avoid a repeat of the incident.
The CLO was ordered to submit the results of its investigation to the City Mayor’s Office not later 10 days from Sept. 28.
On the same day, DSSD head Pacita Tero suspended indefinitely the processing of the financial assistance for the most affected sectors in this city during this corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Tero said DSSD begun interviewing since Sept. 19 and had been targeting a quota of around 100 people per day.
The procedure to process this financial assistance was made to accommodate only those who were already pre-identified for interview, she said.
“With this going on for nearly a week now, the number that turned out Saturday morning came as a complete shock to us,” Tero said.
Leonardia described the incident as an “organized hakot.”
“How come that such big crowd flocked in BCGC without somebody ,who provided them the vehicles since the city is placed under modified enhanced community quarantine during that time and public transportation was suspended,” the mayor said./PN
