P10 million allotted for calamity preparedness

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has appropriated P10 million for the city’s preparedness program as its response to President Gloria Arroyo’s declaration of the entire country under the state of calamity for the local government units to be prepared for the coming of Typhoon Pepeng.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council, had asked for the holding of yesterday’s special session to ensure that Cebu City will be prepared for any possible calamities in the future.

Since the notice for the holding of a special session came very late, Acting Vice Mayor Hilario Davide III was not able to preside in the session as he had already left for a vacation in the southern Cebu town of Badian on Friday night.

Councilor Nestor Archival presided over the special session in behalf of Davide.

Carillo explained to his fellow legislators that the city should be prepared for whatever calamities, such as typhoons, floods, earthquake, fires and others by appropriating P10 million from its calamity budget.

Councilor Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem also gave some backgrounds of typhoons, particularly those that are expected to hit the country in the near future.

He said part of the P10 million appropriated budget for the city’s calamity preparedness will be used for the purchase of food, medicines and other needs for the affected families during calamities.

Jakosalem said if there is a heavy downpour in the city, they expect that some 200 families living within the three-meter radius from the riverbank will be affected and need to be evacuated to safer places.

The north district councilor explained that once the city temporarily relocates those families that will be affected by floods or fire incidents, they need to purchase food for all of them.

Meanwhile, Acting Mayor Michael Rama said the public should also be ready to whatever possible incidents that may hit Cebu, particularly at their neighborhood.

The acting mayor said the city’s heavy equipment should also be deployed in different areas of the city, particularly in the mountain barangays, so they could be used immediately in case they are needed.

The city’s mountain barangays experience landslide every time there is a heavy downpour and Rama said it is appropriate that when a typhoon is expected to hit a particular place, some of the heavy equipment should be deployed ahead in that areas. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB       (FREEMAN NEWS)