CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City council during a special session yesterday afternoon appropriated P8.2 million from the city's calamity fund for "disaster preparedness, calamity protocol, and disaster relief and rehabilitation."
Shortly after the 10-minute session, presiding officer and Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said the city still has about P10 million in its calamity fund, which can be used if a disaster takes place within the year. So far, he said the city has spent only about P100,000 (given to fire victims this year) of this fund, which is five percent of its annual budget, P427 million for this year.
Bucao said it took them, with councilors and department heads, three hours to decide if they should touch the calamity fund for disaster-preparedness and related projects considering that it is still a long way to December 31, and "anything can happen between today and December 31."
From the initial P10.5 million, the group settled for P8,032,608 instead. About P2 million was cut from the P5.5 million initial budget for the repair of heavy equipment.
"But mas dali masugdan ang project kung ang calamity fund maoy gamiton. We need it to speed up work," the vice mayor said.
A big chunk of the budget is for the "general repair" of the city's "unserviceable" heavy equipment (grader, road roller, payloader) which will use up P3.5 million. This equipment is needed to clean up clogged rivers, clear roadblocks caused by landslides, and others. But for the past years, these have become unoperational, and now sitting idle at the city's motor pool at the compound of the city hall.
It is, however, stipulated in the resolution, as moved by minority Councilor Romeo Villarante, that the office of city administrator Richel Bacaltos "to render detailed report on the expenses incurred on repairs of heavy equipment."
One million pesos of the P8.2 million fund, meanwhile, will go to "dengue epidemic prevention and control measures," and as financial assistance to the victims of the disease, said Bucao.
The city has listed at least 137 cases of dengue since January, and according to the newly approved resolution per report of the city health office," it has "an increasing number of dengue cases." The city has also recorded deaths over the past few months due to the disease.
In this part also, Villarante moved that the city administrator should "provide the guidelines" for the release of dengue victims' financial assistance.
The council has also earmarked P2.9 million for the "construction of mitigating structures and slope protection at urban poor relocation site."
It was not specified in the resolution which of the many relocation sites of the city will benefit from this amount.
P35,000 of the P7.5 million will also be divided among the families who were affected by a landslide in sitio Crusher, Lawaan III last August, and those whose homes were smashed by big rocks in sitio Tigib, barangay Lagtang.
Victims of landslides in barangay Jaclupan will also get a share of the amount, according to the resolution.
There are reportedly 10 families with 49 individuals listed as affected by three catastrophes which happened last month.
Meanwhile, the council has also allocated P500,000 for the drainage system in Pooc Elementary School which becomes flooded during heavy rains.
"There is an urgent need for the city to be adequately prepared for fortuitous calamities, events and continuously put the Calamity Protocol in place," read the resolution, which was proposed by Councilor Semy Cabuenas, chairman on council committee on Social Welfare and Services and Communication.
"The joint Department of Budget and Management-Department of the Interior and Local Government circular dated March 20, 2003 states that the calamity funds may be used for disaster preparedness, other pre-disaster activities and mitigation measures, and for disaster relief and rehabilitation," it said. (THE FREEMAN)