While State of Calamity declared: Execs’ foreign travel assailed

CEBU, Philippines — While northern Cebu continues to grapple with the devastation left by Typhoon Tino, several mayors and a provincial board member from the 5th District of Cebu were reported to have traveled abroad for personal vacations in Europe.

A document obtained by The Freeman from the Cebu Provincial Government revealed that, earlier this month, eight local officials had filed for Foreign Travel Authority (FTA), which Governor Pamela Baricuatro had signed.

Those who filed for leave were Catmon Mayor Avis Ginoo-Monleon, San Francisco Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Jr., Tudela Mayor Greman Solante, Poro Mayor Edgar G. Rama, Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago, Compostela Mayor Felijur Quiño, Liloan Mayor Aljew Fernando Frasco, and Board Member Andrei “Red” Duterte.

The travel requests, the Capitol said, were submitted during the first week of November for personal reasons.

These were approved before Cebu province was declared under a state of calamity, following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake and later hit by Typhoon Tino on November 4.

However, under the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) latest Memorandum Circular on the use of FTA Online System Application, all local officials who intend to travel abroad —whether official or personal---are required to secure permission from the DILG Secretary, currently held by Jonvic Remulla.

Specifically, Section 4.3 of the circular states that during periods of emergency or crisis, the approving authority for all foreign travel, official or unofficial, must be the SILG himself or his authorized representative.

This means that any mayor, governor, or local official who travels abroad while their locality is under a declared emergency — such as a state of calamity must first obtain clearance from the DILG Secretary.

"SILG/USLG to approve and sign action documents, relative to request for travel authorities of the specified LG Officials and Employees under Item 3.3 upon recommendation of the Bureau of Local Government Supervision," the memo reads.

The memorandum cites Executive Order No. 77, series of 2019, which mandates that the SILG approve all official foreign travels of local government personnel and also covers unofficial trips such as vacations, medical purposes, or family events.

As of press time, The Freeman has reached out to the mentioned mayors for confirmation and comment, but none of them have responded yet.

Baricuatro, in an interview, confirmed that the said officials filed their travel authority requests prior to the series of disasters that hit Cebu in recent days.

“Yeah, SOP man ‘na no, before sila mobiya naa man na authority to travel,” Baricuatro said, referring to the usual practice of filing for travel permits with the governor’s office.

She added that, while the decision to travel is the prerogative of the elected officials, they remain accountable to their constituents, especially in times of crisis. “You know, that could have been avoided. Ila sad na prerogative, they are answerable to the people. It is not for me to say, but ilaha sad ‘na,” the governor said.

Baricuatro emphasized that the provincial government had been proactive in preparing for the typhoon, coordinating with utilities and LGUs for massive evacuation and disaster response.

“The Capitol was prepared. Nagahatag nami’g information for massive evacuations. Wala ‘mi nagkuwang sa pag-warn sa mga LGUs. They also have to execute because supporting body man ‘mi, sila man naa on the ground. Ilaha gyud ng duty unta,” she added.

Lawyer Restituto Arnaiz, legal counsel of the Cebu Provincial Government, clarified that the mayors filed their travel requests before the declaration of the state of calamity on the province.

“Since personal man and they have submitted the requirements, gipirmahan ni Governor Baricuatro,” Arnaiz explained, adding that the timing of the approval was prior to the twin calamities that struck Cebu.

Section 3.2 of the circular defines unofficial trips as those undertaken for personal or private purposes, such as vacations, medical reasons, or special occasions.

Public reaction on the LGU officials’ travel abroad has been mixed, with some netizens expressing dismay over the absence of their local leaders during a time of widespread hardship and loss caused by Typhoon Tino.

Several residents from the affected northern towns have lamented the lack of visible leadership on the ground during rescue and relief operations, as thousands remain displaced and awaiting assistance.

The 5th District, which includes the towns of Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, and San Francisco, suffered heavy damage from the typhoon.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has reported over 125 fatalities across Cebu, with hundreds still missing or displaced.

The Freeman is still awaiting official comment from the DILG on the matter.

National Calamity

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) approved yesterday (Nov. 6) the declaration of a state of national calamity following the widespread devastation caused by Typhoon Tino and in anticipation of the threat of Super Typhoon Uwan, which is expected to impact northern Luzon in the coming days.

The declaration was made during a situation briefing held at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

President Marcos said the move was necessary to accelerate rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts across multiple regions, and to ensure swift access to emergency funds.

“Mabigat talaga ang pagkatama sa Cebu. Actually, Regions VI, VII, VIII, MIMAROPA, umabot sa Negros Island Region dahil tumawid ang Tino – the damage is heavy,” the President told reporters after the briefing, emphasizing the scale of destruction across the Visayas and surrounding areas.

The NDRRMC recommended the declaration in light of the extensive damage and the anticipated impact of Typhoon Uwan, which could affect up to 12 regions in the country.

“Because of the scope of, shall we say, problem areas that has been hit by Tino and will be hit by Uwan, there was a proposal from the NDRRMC, which I approved, that we will declare a national calamity because ilang regions na ‘yan,” President Marcos continued.

The declaration enables both national and local governments to skip bureaucratic procedures for procurement and mobilization, allowing immediate deployment of aid and resources.

 “That gives us quicker access to some of the emergency funds,” the President explained. “Secondly, mapapabilis ang ating procurement so that we don’t have to go to the usual bureaucratic procedures and we can immediately provide assistance to the victims.”

In response to Typhoon Tino’s impact, the Office of the President has released a total of ?760 million in financial assistance to affected local government units.

Cebu, Capiz, Surigao del Norte, Iloilo, Bohol, and Negros Occidental each received ?50 million, while Eastern Samar, Surigao del Sur, Southern Leyte, Antique, and Aklan were allocated ?40 million each.

Smaller allocations were distributed across other provinces, including ?30 million for Leyte and Masbate, ?20 million for Guimaras, Agusan del Norte, and Dinagat Islands, and ?10 million for Biliran, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Misamis Oriental, Negros Oriental, and Palawan.

Thirty additional provinces and cities received ?5 million each, including Albay, Romblon, Batangas, Northern Samar, and the City of Manila, which saw stranded passengers due to the storm.

President Marcos assured the public that the government is balancing its deployment of personnel to areas already affected by Typhoon Tino while preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Uwan. “Hindi namin iiwanan ang Cebu hangga’t lahat na ay in place na,” he said, vowing continued support for the province.

The President acknowledged the high number of casualties in the Visayas but said the government is still validating the identities of those affected.

“If we anticipate well and we prepare well, marami tayong nagagawa para medyo mas mabawasan ang effect,” he added.

Cebu Province Situation

Among the areas with the highest fatalities were Liloan (39), Compostela (26), Cebu City (17), Mandaue (14), Danao (10), and Balamban (8).

Other deaths were reported in Talisay (7), Asturias (1), Bantayan (1), Tabogon (1), and Consolacion (1).

The PDRRMC reported that 93,347 families or 282,106 individuals were affected, with 2,005 evacuation centers activated across 38 local government units.

Water, electricity, and communication lines also remain unstable in several areas.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) said it has restored 52 percent of its operational capacity and is deploying emergency generator sets to key wellfields to normalize service.

Baricuatro confirmed that her office has already submitted documents to the National Bureau of Investigation Region 7 (NBI-7), which has been conducting a probe into alleged irregularities in past infrastructure projects.

Damage to homes has also been significant, with 97 totally destroyed and 2,349 partially damaged houses reported so far.

Several towns across Cebu have issued urgent calls for assistance following the widespread devastation caused by Typhoon Tino.

Local government units reported a dire need for food packs, potable drinking water, generators, modular tents, construction materials, fuel, and Starlink units to restore connectivity in affected communities.

Moreover, many areas remain isolated and without electricity, while communication lines are limited due to damaged infrastructure. Evacuees are currently staying in temporary shelters, with relief operations ongoing.

As retrieval operations continue, Baricuatro said her administration will push for transparency and accountability not only in the aftermath of Tino but also in all future infrastructure projects.

Death toll in Cebu City

A total of 17 individuals were reported dead in Cebu City due to the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino.

This is based on the latest records of Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) as of 9 a.m. on November 6.

Five more individuals have been added to the list from the previously recorded 12 on November 5.

One of the new fatalities found yesterday was a two-year-old girl whose body was recovered from a vacant lot near a hotel in Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City.

Authorities identified the victim through her relatives who said the child and her entire family were swept away by the floodwaters in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City.

It was also said that they refused to evacuate their homes despite warnings of the danger of the typhoon.

In Sitio Tagoon, Barangay Sapangdaku, two bodies buried in a landslide were recovered by the Cebu City Bureau of Fire Protection.

Responders said they have recovered two of the three individuals buried in the landslide. The first was recovered on November 5, while the second was recovered yesterday, and the search for the remaining individual is ongoing.

Of the total figure, two infants were the youngest recorded fatalities --a one-month-old baby in Barangay Talamban and a four-month-old in Barangay Poblacion Pardo.

Meanwhile, a 74-year-old man in Barangay Cogon Pardo who was crushed by a collapsed structure is the oldest victim reported in the city.

Furthermore, the number of casualties has already reached 30. These include individuals who were injured or reported missing in the city during the typhoon.

Currently, the CCDRRMO and other government agencies are conducting ongoing search and retrieval operations, particularly in the mountainous areas of the city where extensive flooding began. -  RAE (CEBU NEWS)