A fire victim from Jagna, Bohol, has publicly accused Gov. Aris Aumentado of falsely claiming she benefited from a provincial free housing project, saying her family never received any assistance despite public announcements to the contrary.
Lavalla T. Jamago, wife of Kenneth Jamago of Barangay Alejawan, went public with her complaints on social media this week, criticizing what she called misleading claims from the provincial government and warning the public to be cautious ahead of the election season.
Jamago said her family’s home was completely destroyed by fire on Nov. 23, 2024.
She alleged that following the disaster, no representative from Aumentado’s office or the provincial government approached her family to offer help, despite their desperate situation.
Jamago also said that when she personally went to the Capitol to seek assistance, she was told that fire victims like her were “not a priority” and that there were no available funds for their needs.
However, on the official Facebook page of the Bohol Provincial Government, Jamago’s family was later included in posts about the “Balay sa Paglaum” free housing program — a project led by Gov. Aumentado and Rep. Vanessa Aumentado to build homes for fire victims and underprivileged families across the province, allegedly using the Aumentados’ alleged personal funds.
The posts stated that the Jamago family was among the 62 beneficiaries who were being provided with new homes through the program.
Jamago flatly denied this, saying no house was ever built for them under “Balay sa Paglaum.”
“It is not true that we were given a house by the governor. No one from his office even came to visit us, not even once,” Jamago said in her post, written in Cebuano.
Jamago credited the rebuilding of their home instead to the efforts of Barangay Alejawan Captain Louie Monungolh and the local group Team Priority.
She said they organized support that enabled them to purchase building materials and basic necessities. She also thanked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for providing P10,000 in cash assistance.
According to Jamago, the help they received included 50 sacks of cement, 10 pieces of marine plywood, 200 hollow blocks, 20 corrugated iron sheets, P5,000 cash, four sacks of rice, and groceries.
Following Jamago’s allegations, the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO), which helps implement the “Balay sa Paglaum” project, issued an official statement to clarify the situation.
The BPPO said that Kenneth Jamago was initially recommended for the housing project and underwent standard validation procedures.
However, during the assessment, police discovered that the Jamago family had already been assisted by other benefactors, particularly barangay officials and private donors.
Given this finding, BPPO said the funds intended for the Jamago family’s housing were realigned to another beneficiary — Evangelita Sajol, a Jagna resident who had been living in a makeshift shelter prone to flooding during rains.
Sajol’s new home was built through the combined efforts of the local government unit, volunteers, and the BPPO, and has since been turned over to her.
Jamago ended her post by expressing gratitude to those who genuinely helped them and called on voters to be wary of politicians using public aid projects for publicity during election season.