Capitol seeks help from Malacañang for rehab programs

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Government would seek the aid of the national government to rehabilitate northern Cebu towns damaged by super typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8.

“Naa ta (We have funds), but mangayo ta (we will ask for more). We can’t do it alone. We need help from the national government… We have to make representations there. I will make follow ups,” Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III told a press conference in his office yesterday.

The governor made the statement after President Aquino approved a P14.6-billion supplemental budget for the reconstruction of typhoon-damaged areas, which is a little over half of what Davide pegged that the province would need for its reconstruction programs.

To recall, Davide submitted late last year a proposed P26.8-billion rehabilitation program to the Regional Development Council-7, which endorsed it to the National Economic Development Authority.

Yesterday, the governor said he remembered there was an earlier P41-billion appropriation that the national government set aside for Yolanda-hit areas.

“We will try to do our best nga tanan (that all) damage cost and estimates mahatag sa (are given to the National Government para makatabang sa (to help in the) rehabilitation,” he said.

Davide, however, said the province is also counting on the help of other government agencies, like the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture.

A total of 15 northern Cebu towns were ravaged by Yolanda, which damaged 100,000 houses, with Bogo City and Daanbantayan towns as heavily affected areas.

Davide, though, could not say when the rehabilitation program would be completed. He said he is happy that it already started.

“Daghan pang wap-a na-repair but we have started na. Daghang groups and NGOs are helping us. We are coordinating with these groups in the rehabilitation effort,”  he said. (FREEMAN)