State of calamity declared in Manila

Political differences were set aside yesterday in the country’s capital as the City Council unanimously approved in less than 30 minutes a resolution declaring a state of calamity in Manila, which allowed the local government to utilize as much as P300 million of the calamity fund to assist families have displaced by Typhoon Milenyo.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said this was the first time that he has had to declare a city wide state of calamity since assuming office in 1992. Out of the P300-million budget, the city intends to use P25 million.

This will allow the 897 barangays in Manila to spend each of their estimated P50,000 calamity fund.

District 1 Councilor Ernesto Dionisio, City Council majority floor leader, said they reached a quorum at 9:50 a.m.

Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna presided over yesterday’s emergency session, while Councilor Rolan Valeriano described the state in District 2. Both of them are aligned with the opposition.

Under the law, both the city government and barangays can utilize as much as five percent of their annual budget allocation to respond to calamities.

However, the mayor said he would advise barangay chairmen to use their calamity fund sparingly.

"They are authorized to rehabilitate their communities and spend the next three days to clean up their barangays. We hope to normalize the city by Monday," Atienza added.

The city has P300 million as calamity fund, but since damage to infrastructure was minimal, the Manila government would only need to use P25 million to help displaced families, pay for the repairs and clear the city of debris.

"The calamity fund will help the displaced families in Parola Compound 1 and 3, Baseco Compound, Balic-Balic street in Sampaloc, San Andres Bukid and to buy medicines and food," he said.

As the weather improved yesterday, hundreds of families temporarily housed at relocation centers were instructed to return to their homes.

The mayor was more concerned about the damage done by Milenyo to the environment.

While there is still actual figure as to the number of trees that fell because of the strong winds, the typhoon has definitely put a dent on the city’s "greening" efforts.

"We would have to accelerate our tree-planting program to replace the lost trees. We cannot determine the amount lost because the trees, some of them already mature, are priceless."

Atienza, along with other city officials, went around the capital last Thursday afternoon to inspect the damage caused by Milenyo. They saw uprooted trees and broken glass everywhere. Even one of the multi-colored globe lights along the Baywalk was destroyed when it was hit by debris.

Manila City Hall-Inner-City Development Program (MCH-ICDP) chairman Arnold "Ali" Atienza said going around the streets of Manila was like being in a computer game where trees were falling around them as they moved forward.

The mayor’s car was in fact hit three times.