The Tea on the Las Piñas Green Card Benefits Issue

Last February 17, there was a heated debate among Las Piñas City Council Members because of Mayor Mel Aguilar’s request to exempt the city from the COMELEC ban
on using the local government funds during the campaign period. The Tropang Villar councilors believe that public service eshould not be interrupted, however, Mayor
Aguilar’s request was submitted after the February 11 deadline, so it cannot be granted, as per COMELEC Resolution No. 11060.

Of course, there’s an option for the City Council to still try to endorse it to COMELEC, but they opted to consult the poll body first, rather than bring shame upon
the organization if COMELEC rejects the request for exemption due to non-compliance with the official timeline.

The Tropang Villar councilors were compelled to set the record straight because of the lies and misinformation spreading regarding them allegedly blocking the Green Card
benefits on purpose. This claim is entirely false and blatantly attempts to mislead the public.

The Truth About February 17

The council session on February 17, 2025, was not about approving the Green Card budget itself. Instead, the discussion arose because the Mayor requested an exemption from
the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for the release of funds during the election period.

The Mayor’s Office under Mayor Mel Aguilar failed to meet the crucial Comelec deadline. Instead of securing the necessary authorization before February 11, the Mayor only
brought this matter to the City Council on February 17 — a full week after the deadline had already passed.

The Tropang Villar councilors did their job by upholding due process and ensuring that Las Piñeros would not be subjected to further administrative oversight. The mayor’s
simple mistake of not filing the Request for Exemption on time threatens the delivery of vital public services to Las Piñeros who would like to avail of the Green Card,
Libreng Libing, and other benefits.

Shifting the Blame

Rather than owning up to their failure to comply with COMELEC regulations, Mayor Mel Aguilar and her allies are now attempting to shift the blame by spreading misinformation. They have even resorted to dragging the name of Senator Cynthia Villar who has nothing to do with this issue.

This propaganda campaign is a clear diversion tactic to cover up the Mayor’s administrative negligence. The intention is to confuse and mislead the public so that
responsibility for the possible delay in Green Card benefits is deflected away from those truly at fault — the Mayor’s Office itself.

Las Piñas deserves honest, competent, and accountable leadership. Fake news and political deception shouldn’t dictate the future of the city. The failures of the current
administration of Mayor Mel Aguilar and April Aguilar have already left Las Piñas behind compared to other Metro Manila cities.

As the May 2025 elections approaches, we should remain vigilant. We must reject lies and misinformation, and instead, demand responsible and transparent governance. The
people of Las Piñas deserve better.

We should combat fake news by demanding accountability and fighting for good governance always, in all ways.