City volunteers off to Pablo-hit town

CEBU, Philippines -  The Cebu City Government is sending a team of medical and rescue volunteers to the typhoon-stricken Compostela to augment the efforts of the local government in helping the victims of typhoon Pablo.

The team shall consist of 60 volunteers from the different departments of the city, non-government organizations and other groups.

The team will be led by the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and will compose of volunteers from the City Health Department, Cebu City Medical Center, City Police, Department of Public Services, City Traffic Operations Management, Basak Pardo Emergency Rescue, Rotary Club and Red Cross, among others.

They will leave on December 26 and will be back on December 31. The area of concentration will be in the Municipality of Compostela.

Alvin Santillana of the CCDRRMC said the City Government has advanced some half a million of cash for the mission.

The financial assistance promised by the City Government shall follow. Santillana said the assistance cannot be rushed as it has to follow regular procedures at City Hall.

The City Government will donate P8 million to the areas severely affected by typhoon Pablo.

When Pablo hit Compostela Valley early this month, there were 117,733 displaced families from 238 affected barangays. Almost 600 were killed while some 400 are still missing. Hospitals are treating some 1000 injured.

Over 31,000 houses were damaged and millions worth of crops were destroyed.

Santillana also said that even if the city will be giving financial assistance to the typhoon-stricken province, there is enough calamity fund to spend in case of emergencies between now and December 31.

The CCDRRMC is on call for possible eventualities, like typhoon, that may occur over the holidays.

Mayor Michael Rama ordered the CCDRMC to be on standby after reports of a typhoon brewing in the south Pacific Ocean that may develop into a typhoon on December 25. —JPM (FREEMAN)