Calamity fund spent to assist LGUs, buy food supplies

CEBU, Philippines - The province of Cebu had spent most of its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (DRRMF), also known as calamity fund, in 2013 to aid to local government units and  on food supplies.

Report of the Provincial  Accounting Office shows the province has a total of P108.7 million of calamity divided into Quick Response Fund (QRF) of P32.6 million (30 percent) and Mitigation Fund (MF) of P76 million (70 percent).

The whole QRF remained unutilized at the end of the year while P69.4 million of MF was utilized, leaving a total unutilized balance of P39.2 million of the calamity fund for the year.

Under the MF, the province transferred P31 million to different LGUs affected by calamities last year.

The town of Cordova  got P5 million due to the oil spill brought by the collision of two sea vessels.

The LGUs of Santa Fe, Bogo City, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Madridejos, Pilar, and San Remigio got P2 million each while those of Tudela, Sogod, Borbon, Poro, Tabogon, San Francisco and Tabuelan received P1 million each. An additional P1 million was appropriated for Pilar.

In May 2013, the province spent P18 million for food supplies such as 150 bags of National Food Authority rice amounting to P187,500 and 100 cartoons of coffee in the amount of P231,000.

These supplies were for disaster preparedness program.

In August, the province purchased 500 sacks of NFA rice amounting to P625,000 for fishermen affected by oil spill in Cordova, and blankets and noodles for disaster preparedness program in the amount of P32,000.

In October, the province purchased 50 boxes of sardines for stockpiling in the amount of P52,750.

In November, the province purchased 3,500 sacks of NFA rice for Yolanda victims in the amount of P4.3 million and 50 boxes of meat loaf and other food items for stockpiling worth P109,600.

In December, the province purchased 150 sacks of rice for stockpiling worth P187,500; cartoons of carne norte for oil spill victims worth P725,000; 4,000 cartoons of sardines for relief commodities for typhoon Yolanda victims worth P5.2 million.

It paid P62,250 for food stuff for survivors of boat accident in Talisay Fish Port.

The province also paid P34,417 of lunch buffet of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Security Staff at Radisson Blue Hotel.

It also purchased 5,000 sacks of NFA rice for distribution –  Daanbantayan, 685 sacks; Bantayan, 1,376; Medellin, 984; San Remigio, 577; Bogo City, 325; Santa Fe, 710; Madridejos, 293; Tabogon, 32; and Borbon, 18.

An amount of P3.5 million was also spend for typhoon Pablo victims in southern Cebu and P77,000 was also given to fire victims in DAS, Toledo City. —/LPM (FREEMAN)