Mar, Dinky, Gazmin in Cebu to check project

CEBU, Philippines -  Cabinet Secretaries Mar Roxas, Dinky Soliman and Voltaire Gazmin are in Cebu today reportedly to inspect ongoing rehabilitation of infrastructures damaged by super typhoon Yolanda and to check on other concerns and needs of the survivors.

Department of Interior and Local Government-7 Director Ananias Villacorta said the three national officials will arrive in Daanbantayan town at exactly 10 a.m. onboard a chopper after visiting Capiz City.

DILG Secretary Roxas, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Soliman, and National Defense Secretary Gazmin, however, would only be in Cebu for an hour and a half, as they have to rush back to Manila after lunch due to some commitments.

“Igo ra gyud sila mag-inspect but they would no longer go to other towns due to the lack of time…hapit lang gyud ni sila, but as to other purpose I no longer know that,” Villacorta said.

He said the three cabinet secretaries would also inspect non-government organizations’ post-Yolanda projects and meet with local government unit officials before meeting the local press prior to having lunch.

In particular, Villacorta, Roxas, Soliman, and Gazmin would inspect Daanbantayan’s civic center, municipal building, and public market, which were damaged by the typhoon but are now nearing complete rehabilitation.

He said the civic center is already 98 percent while public market is around 97 percent done. Repairs on the municipal building were completed last month.

So far only the municipalities of Sogod, Daanbantayan, Borbon, and San Remigio have already almost completed their infrastructure rehabilitation.

Bogo City and the towns of Bantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, Pilar, Santa Fe, Tabogon, Tabuelan, and Tuburan are about 70 percent done with each of their projects.

These 13 local government units were given funds from the national government after the release of a P67-million budget last year.

Of the amount, the biggest chunk (P20.8 million) went to hardest-hit Bantayan Island.

“The budget was given in different amount depending on the damage to infrastructure caused by the typhoon,” Villacorta said.

He said his office was still waiting for a P130-million budget to be released for repairs of barangay facilities like the day care centers and barangay halls, among others.

The budget, he said, is delayed due to an ongoing consultation with the Commission on Audit, which prohibits the DILG to directly release the funds to the barangays.

“Duna man guy agreement na karon nga sa mayor na lang i-agi kay problems may arise unya sa liquidation o ba kaha sa incapability of the barangay in handling bigger funds,” Villacorta said.

He said there is no timeframe when the funds would be released, but as far as his office is concerned, they have not yet received any complaints from the LGUs regarding the budget’s non-release. — /RHM (FREEMAN)