Cebu yet to get P7B rehab fund

CEBU, Philippines - Almost a year since typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc in the Visayas, inclu-ding areas in northern Cebu, the national government has yet to transfer P7 billion of rehabilitation aid intended for Cebu.

In the report prepared by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, as well as in earlier pronouncements, the full rehabilitation for the towns and city affected by Yolanda in northern Cebu would reach around P12 billion.

Based on the recent PDRRMO report, out of the P12 billion, P286 million would be coming from the provincial government while P4.2 million would be sourced from national government agencies which are in-charge of different rehabilitation projects.

These national agencies include the Department of Public Works and Highways for road rehabilitation and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for community welfare projects.

However, the bulk of the budget, or P7.5 billion to be exact, would be coming from the national government.

PDRRMO Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said they hope to get the funding soon so that they could fully implement the rehabilitation projects.

‘It takes time’

He clarified though that it is understandable for the national government to take time in downloading the budget as it is not usually done in bulk, plus there are also local government units that, he said, are at fault.

Tribunalo explained that some LGUs are delayed in their liquidations and the national government would not download more funds if previous downloaded funds have yet to be properly liquidated.

But Tribunalo stressed this does not stop them from continuously implementing the provincial government’s rehabilitation plans, as well as disaster preparedness programs which they will carry out with their budget.

For 2015, the proposed budget for the PDRRM has increased to P121 million from the P111 million this year.

The budget is based on Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 which mandates local government units, in this case the provincial government, “to provide at least five percent of their Internal Revenue Allotment Fund for the DRRM fund.”

The law also states that of the allocated amount, 70 percent goes to disaster preparedness programs while 30 percent is for quick response fund.

Tribunalo said apart from the allocation, the donations and funding from other groups also help them in carrying out their plans, especially in strengthening disaster preparedness.

The United Nations Children’s Fund has reportedly given P23 million to strengthen the disaster risk reduction and governance in Bantayan Island and Daanbantayan town.

Another P13 million from international non-governmental organization called Action Aid has been reportedly given to the towns of Tabogon, Medellin and Daanbantayan.  Tribunalo clarified that the money is not coursed through his office but through their partners and that the PDRRMO only helps facilitate the programs.

Simulation

Meanwhile, Tribunalo disclosed that they just concluded the province-wide contingency planning workshop attended by different agencies, public and private.

During the workshop, Tribunalo said they had a simulation on another possible typhoon like Yolanda that may hit Naga City to Danao City and the kind of response the PRDDMO and the LGUs would implement.

He explained that they chose the cities and towns within Metro Cebu since they have the most number of residents.

Through the simulation, he shared that they were able to pinpoint drawbacks and were able to discuss ways to solve it.

Tribunalo shared that when typhoon Yolanda hit Cebu, there were a lot of gaps in the preparation, as well as in the response efforts of the office.

But he said that based on the level of resiliency, the office has now improved and continues to work hard so when disasters arise, they will achieve their aim of “zero-casualty.”

With the planning workshop, Tribunal added that they were able to “check how ready the province is” if a typhoon like Yolanda, or stronger than it, would hit the province.  — /JMD (FREEMAN)