Cebu City gov’t sends teams to help Eastern Visayas areas

CEBU, Philippines - About a hundred delegates from the Cebu City Government left last night for Ormoc City and for other provinces ravaged by super typhoon “Yolanda,” to conduct medical, relief and clearing operations.

In a travel order signed by Mayor Michael Rama, the officials and employees were directed to primarily “coordinate with local government units, deliver food, water and medicines and provide medical assistance.”

“We are in a mission, in a mission to give meaning to service. And we can only have that service from the heart if we have God. The whole thing is about God, service, nation,” Rama said.

The group is led by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and will all be on board a barge that was provided by the Asian Shipping Corporation for use of the city to respond to typhoon-struck provinces.

“Pasalamat ang Cebu City sa Asian Shipping Corporation kay gihimo at our disposal ang ilang barge. It’s a huge barge. Kanang para open sea gyud na. Thank you, Councilor Ricardo Pepito number one councilor sa Toledo City and the manager of the company,” Labella said.

Five dump trucks containing relief goods and another five support vehicles were carried on board the barge, said Labella, adding that they hope to penetrate the smaller barangays and sitios.

Rama is set to be in Leyte today to hand financial assistance to Ormoc City amounting to P1 million and another P500 thousand each for the municipalities of Palompon and Isabel.             Together with the Cebu City Civic Action Group (CCCAG) that will be based in Ormoc City are 11 medical personnel from the Cebu City Medical Center including doctors and nurses, 14 from the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office led by Cathy Yso, three from the Department of Manpower Development and Placement (DMDP) led by Suzanne Ardosa, four from the City Health Department and five staff members from Labella’s office.

12 military personnel from the Central Command and 25 personnel from the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) led by executive director Atty. Rafael Christopher Yap is also part of the CCCAG to provide security as well as to help out in crowd control.              Simultaneously, the city government has initially extended help to the northern towns of Cebu that were affected by the super typhoon and a command post has in fact been set up in the town of Medellin.

The team is led by City Administrator Atty. Jose Marie Poblete and is joined by representatives from several departments to help in medical, relief and clearing operations. —/ATO (FREEMAN)