Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr. has launched a program intended to speed up rehabilitation work that will hasten the recovery of the city. Dubbed “Cash for Work, Food for Work”, the program consists of two phases. The first phase involves giving work to 100 residents in each of Bogo’s 29 barangays for a week, employing them to clean up their respective villages and communities. They will be paid with cash so they can have a starter fund to help them start a new chapter in their lives.

The second phase is to let them do repair work on their own houses for a week, and even if it is their own houses they will be working on they will still be paid with food. The beneficiary residents will be chosen by the barangay officials based on the gravity of the damage to their houses.

The program will show the people that the city government is committed to help them get back on their feet. This time, however, it shall not be the “dole-out” way. Mayor Martinez explains that through the “Cash for Work, Cash for Food” his constituents will receive government assistance through a program that discourages mendicancy among his people. To him it is important that the people rebuild their lives with their dignity intact, through a work ethic and a renewed attitude that will make them stronger and more self-reliant in the face of adversities.

Next in line is the city government’s shelter program that will allow the homeless to avail of a P35,000 loan to build their own homes, payable for 20 years, with a 2-year grace period, at an amortization that will range from P150.00 to P170.00 per month. 

source: City Government of Bogo