Council declares city under state of calamity preparedness

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has declared the entire city under a state of calamity preparedness to allow them to spend millions of pesos from the calamity budget to counter the spread of dengue cases.

Of the city’s existing P157 million calamity budget for this year, 70 percent has been allocated for calamity preparedness including the purchase of chemicals and equipment to prevent the occurrence of tragedies or calamities while the other 30 percent is intended for responding to the effects of the problem.

Councilor Ronald Cuenco, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Health, said the incidence rate of dengue in 25 barangays is high and needs immediate attention to avoid the spread of the virus.

These barangays are Kalubihan, Cogon-Ramos, Bacayan, Santo Niño, Pahina San Nicolas, Sambag 1, Zapatera, Pahina-San Nicolas, Pasil, Kamputhaw, Pit-os, Sta. Cruz, Kamagayan, Ermita, Pahina Central, Tinago, San Antonio, Suba, Sapangdaku, Inayawan, Capitol Site, Guadalupe, Mabolo, T. Padilla and Lahug.

Dr. Alma Corpin of the Cebu City Health’s field operations section said the huge barangays continue to top the list with more dengue cases which claimed the lives of seven persons since January.

The number of dengue cases increased to 1,738 as of last week.

“The school-age group were the most affected by dengue,” said Corpin when she conducted a briefing before City Hall reporters yesterday. Statistics showed 726 dengue cases from January to July last year.

With the declaration of the city under a state of calamity preparedness, the city can already utilize the calamity budget to launch a massive campaign against the dengue virus, including the purchase of the needed chemicals and equipment.

The law provides that the calamity budget may be used only when a certain place or areas will be declared under a state of calamity or state of calamity preparedness by the legislative bodies concerned.

Corpin, however, encouraged the community to actively assist the government in the fight against dengue by destroying the breeding sites of mosquitoes in their respective places.  (FREEMAN)