Cebu City heads to Tacloban

CEBU, Philippines - After Ormoc and northern Cebu, the Cebu City government is channeling help to Tacloban City.

Mayor Michael Rama is leading the delegation that left for the city last night together with Councilor Dave Tumulak, presiding officer of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

Also with the team are CCDRRMO personnel and eight security officers provided by the Cebu City Police Office. 

“We will distribute food packs and deliver financial assistance to affected local government units,” Tumulak said. The team brought a truckload of relief goods and one BPER emergency response pickup.

Apart from Tacloban, the group will also visit the towns of Palo and Tanauan in Leyte where they will stay for two days each.

“Roble Shipping has given the delegation free boat ride from Cebu City to Ormoc City tonight (last night). We will borrow a vehicle from Ormoc which the mayor will board for our land trip to Tacloban,” Tumulak said.

“Kung i-compare nimo ang Northern Cebu and Ormoc, kay wala pa man ko kaadtog Bantayan, unsa nalang kahay naa sa Tacloban?” Rama said yesterday.

last weekend, the mayor went to Ormoc City, as well as in neighboring towns Palompon and Isabel also to give cash aid.

The Cebu City Action Group also distributed food packs of rice, canned goods, water and tarpaulin. The tarpaulin can be used as temporary roofing to replace those damaged by super typhoon Yolanda.

Meanwhile, to heed the mayor's call for city employees to donate part of their earnings to typhoon victims, Human Resource Development Office head Atty. Dominic Diño said they are eyeing at slashing the employees' meal allowance intended for the Christmas Party and Sportsfest.

“In lieu of donating one month salary to typhoon victims, there is a proposal to cut the meal allowance for the Christmas program and sportsfest. Roughly, it's a over one million in total. But we will have to consult with the employees first,” Dino said.

Rama earlier said he will donate his salary for November amounting to about P80 thousand.

The HRDO head explained that each employee is budgeted about P250 per person for each activity. The original proposal, he said, was to postpone the activities and donate the allotted fund, but this was discouraged as the employees are also entitled even to a modest celebration.

Rama himself does not approve of not celebrating Christmas, but only stressed to celebrate simply this year.

“It is not advisable for Christmas to be cancelled. Even war cannot stop Christmas. The more we celebrate Christmas. It should not be exorbitant, not lavish, not be shown in a flamboyant way,” the mayor said. — (FREEMAN)