Cebu City helps Leyte LGUs

CEBU, Philippines - Apart from sending clearing, relief and medical team to badly-hit by super typhoon Yolanda areas, Cebu City Government yesterday turned over financial assistance to three local government units in Leyte province.

Personally handing the aid to Ormoc City, Palompon and Isabel towns were Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella.

Labella is leading the Cebu City Action Group based in Ormoc, which arrived last Saturday bringing about 85 volunteers from various offices at the Cebu City Hall.

“Kung buot hunahunaon, we could have brought more considering the terrible devastation. We hope more help to come not just for Ormoc but in other areas hit by the typhoon as well including northern Cebu. It’s a terrible sight. No work, no home, no livelihood, no nothing,” Labella said.

Ensuring properly coordinated operations while in Ormoc, an incident command post was also established near damaged Ormoc City Hall, following an initial rapid assessment conducted by Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council presiding officer Councilor Dave Tumulak who led the advance party.

The delegation, bringing trucks and pick-up vehicles, boarded a huge barge lent for free by Asian Shipping.

Receiving the P1 million aid for Ormoc City was Mayor Edward Codilla while Palompon municipal councilor Burt Mari Bregaudit accepted the P500,000 help.

“Nalipay kaayo ko nga naabot ang Cebu City dinhi. Mura kog gibayaw sa langit,” first-termer Ormoc mayor said showing an image of Our Lady of Fatima inside her office in the damaged city hall.

Also, over a thousand households in Ormoc City, yesterday received relief and medical aid from Cebu City.

Three rural barangays of San Vicente, Esperanza and Mas-in were chosen as recipients based on recommendation of Ormoc City government.

Accompanying the more than 80-member Cebu City Action Group is Ormoc City Councilor Vince Rama, relative of Mayor Rama.

About 356 households from San Vicente, 183 from Esperanza and another 530 households from Mas-in received their relief pack composed of rice, canned goods, used clothes. Tarpaulins for temporary roofing were also given as most of the typhoon stricken homes lost their roof.

Codilla revealed that the first batch of help through relief goods came from Liloan, Cebu through Mayor Duke Frasco.

Half a million pesos financial assistance was also given to Isabel, Leyte Mayor Marcos Gregorio Cerillo on behalf of the entire town also affected by the super typhoon.

Relief goods from Cebu City were also distributed to similarly damaged areas in Leyte by a team led by Councilor Dave Tumulak.

Last Friday, they distributed 1,600 relief packs from ABS-CBN Foundation Cebu to the towns of Burauin, Dulag, Tolosa, Tanauan, Palo, and Tacloban City.

Earlier, the group conducted relief operations from November 11 to 13 in the towns of Tungonan, Libungao, Kananga, Catoocan, and Karigara.

Tumulak brought with him one team from Basak Pardo Emergency Response (BPER) and a security team provided by Cebu City Police Office.

Meanwhile, at least P100,000 will be given to the typhoon victims in northern Cebu from the admission proceeds of PBA opening game today at Cebu Coliseum.

The Cebu City Council has granted Enya Ideals from full amusement tax reduction to the gross admission receipts as the proceeds will go to areas ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda.

Enya Ideals is the organizer of the PBA opening game which features Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters versus Mercado Bolts.

“Enya Ideals shall donate P100 thousands to the disaster/calamity fund of the Cebu City government as its event’ beneficiary for the intention of the relief operation for the victims of the super typhoon Yolanda in Northern Cebu,” the resolution reads, which was authored by Councilor Richie Osmeña.

Osmeña said “it is fitting and appropriate that the City of Cebu will extend its unselfish support and assistance to the aforesaid event seeing that such will indisputably concern and promote the tourism, commerce and culture of our city”. —  (FREEMAN)