During emergencies: No need to wait for City Council’s nod - Rama

CEBU, Philippines — Not everything needs to be coursed through the City Council, especially when it comes to emergencies, this according to Cebu City Mayor Rama.

Fresh from a week-long official trip to Taiwan, Rama made the statement after learning that the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) has declared 28 barangays under a state of calamity as the El Niño intensifies.

But CDRRMC chief Harold Alcontin, according to a report, has yet to endorse CDRRMC’s resolution to the office of Councilors Phillip Zafra and Joel Garganera for the City Council’s nod.

Once the City Council adopts the resolution and declares these barangays under a state of calamity, the identified barangays can already use their calamity funds, while the city government can use its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.

Mayor Rama who is back on board in his regular program via the city’s Sugboanon Channel said, he had already given his instructions to the CDRRMC to take the necessary actions in line with El Niño.

“I have been telling them to continue monitoring… And if there is a need to declare, move… Ayaw na mog huwat nako,” Mayor Rama said.

While commending the CDRRMC’s efforts, he said not everything needs to go through the City Council.

“In fact, naa man gani sistema nga di na mao usahay, nga mo-agi pas Sanggunian…For me, the one responsible for everything is the mayor… The Sanggunian only comes once every Wednesday, the mayor comes every day, 24/7 na… So, he has that authority, under the local government code and the general welfare clause,” said Mayor Rama.

“When urgency of time, you got to have to move, dili kay, uy pagstorya sa mo diha!” he said, adding that he has done this before because the emergency and the response cannot wait.

The mayor was also reminded that the CDRRMC has not yet given the promised financial help for the calamity victims of Mandaue and Davao.

“We can all have this money by the city treasurer advancing... As long as the mayor is in that direction… Documentation to follow… Why do you have to wait? Emergency cannot wait… Dili na i-agi sa council... Dili, dili, dili. No, no, no, no… I don’t want to see things beyond, all possibilities are there… The way to predict the future is to create it,” Mayor Rama ended. — (FREEMAN)