Asturias wants P.5M in calamity funds

Officials of Asturias town requested the release of half a million funds to counter the threats of dengue fever and the insurgency.

In a resolution recently submitted to the Office of the Provincial Secretary, the Asturias Municipal Council wants town officials to buy firearms in response to the rising rebel infiltration.

Resolution 190A-2005, authored by councilor Hermes Romeo seeks to declare declare the whole town in a state of both natural and man-made calamity, natural due to the dengue fever outbreak in the whole town as certified by the Municipal Health Officer and man-made as to the insurgency.

The certification says five have already died of dengue while 30 have been hospitalized in barangays Poblacion, Looc Norte, San Roque, New Bago, Lunas, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Rita, Old Bago and Langub.

In declaring the town under state of man-made calamity, the resolution made as basis an intelligence report of 78th Infantry Battalion head Lt. Col. Rolando Malinao that there is a continuous attempt by insurgents to infiltrate the barangays of Asturias.

Attached to the resolution was appropriation ordinance 03-A for the release of P564,000 for the purchase of service firearms for the mayor, vice mayor and all the municipal council members for protection against the rebels and fogging operation against mosquitoes.

The appropriation ordinance is currently being reviewed by the Local Finance Committee who will submit a resolution for approval or denial by the Provincial Committee on Budget and Appropriation. - Ferliza C. Contratista