Pasig mayor clarifies barangay assistance

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto clarified the city government’s financial assistance program for barangays during Monday’s flag-raising ceremony, emphasizing its equitable nature.

In a statement, Sotto said the city provides P3 million to P5 million in aid to each barangay, with the amount varying based on size, while an additional P1 million is granted upon proper liquidation of expenses.

He also stressed that the program — launched in 2020 — is unique to Pasig City and has drawn interest from other local governments.

Sotto recalled that prior to the program’s implementation, a “palakasan” or patronage system prevailed, where barangays aligned with the administration received preferential treatment.

He added that even basic supplies like cleaning soap and office materials required requests from the city.

To address this, Sotto said the city institutionalized automatic financial assistance, ensuring all barangays receive support regardless of political affiliation.

The city mayor also praised the City Environment and Natural Resources Office street sweepers for their rapid cleanup of election campaign paraphernalia. He cited that most of the materials were cleared within a week, with only tarpaulins on private property remaining, which the city is not authorized to remove.

Additionally, Sotto announced progress on Councilor Maro Martires’ project to establish the Mutya ng Pasig Mega Market as a local economic enterprise, with the goal of improving market operations and management.