City Hall suspends life vest distribution

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC) has indefinitely postponed the distribution of life vests to the residents living in flood-prone barangays after finding out that the vests donated to the city were already expired.

Alvin Santillana, executive director of CCDCC, said they were all set to distribute the life vests yesterday when they discovered that these were no longer safe to use. Santillana however clarified that these were all unused vests. In fact, they were still in plastic packages only that it has already expired.

The shipping company that donated the life vests reportedly promised to replace them. The vests were supposed to be distributed to the residents of Sitio Banawa, Guadalupe and Lahing-lahing and Sindulan in Mabolo.

Santillana however clarified that giving life vests to the residents “does not give them the authority to stay in flood-prone areas.”

The city has chosen to directly give the life-saving device to the residents so they will not have to go to their respective barangay in case the water goes high.

The first time that the city handed out life vests to the barangays was two years ago. Barangay Basak-Pardo Capt. Dave Tumulak earlier received 30 vests which the barangay used during rescue operations.

Mayor Michael Rama said the city government will purchase its own life vests to be distributed to its constituents.

“If we will buy it now, we`ll buy it now,” he said.

On the other hand, Rama told Santillana to write the council a letter to air the CCDCC’s sentiments. This after the Council has stalled the release of a P157-million budget for the said office.

Rama said if the council would still not heed the appeal of the CCDCC and a disaster happens along the way, “then adto sila maningil sa konseho.” Part of the budget should have gone to the victims of the Basak-Pardo fire last month.

Santillana said the budget was already calendared last April, but suddenly Councilor Bebot Abellanosa withdrew his sponsorship to it. (FREEMAN)