ORMOC City needs water.
This is the ground assessment of former Cebu City councilor Alvin Dizon in his return from earthquake-stricken Ormoc City and Kananga, Leyte.
Dizon reported to Mayor Tomas Osmeña that of the 29 electricity-run water-pumping stations in Ormoc City, only 10 have generator sets and thus functioning.
This prompted the mayor to appropriate fund for Ormoc City to acquire the remaining 19 generator sets.
“In every disaster, number 1 priority is water, even more important than food. Many of their areas don’t have water because they don’t have gen sets,” said Osmeña.
Osmeña explained that it would be best that they will just give the money and let Ormoc City buy the generator sets to expedite the process.
“Mas nindot niana kay sila man ang naay disaster walay bidding-bidding,” (Since they’re affected by the disaster, there’s no need for a bidding),” Osmeña said.
Osmeña said he will first verify the prices for each generator set.
He said he will be calling for a special council session regarding the budget appropriation as soon as the price range is verified.
The budget would come from the city disaster funds.
Osmeña is positive that the generator set will be useful to the residents in Ormoc despite the possibility that power may be restored in a short time.
“But Ormoc keeps getting hit by disasters so let’s give them the gen sets so that the next time there’s another disaster, at least they have water,” said Osmeña.
Besides water supply, health, food, shelter, hygiene, and safety for PWD, women and elderly, are still standing concerns.
Based on the damage assessment in Ormoc and Kananga, 221 injuries were reported in Ormoc while 110 injuries, including 14 children, were recorded in Kananga.
Antibiotics, analgesics, anti-hypertension medicines are needed the most.
Hygiene kits, water purifiers and portalets are also needed in both areas.
Psychological intervention is being sought for traumatized victims.
While Ormoc evacuees still lack food supplies, Kananga has no issue on food.
A total of 598 houses were totally damaged in Ormoc, while 62 were partially damaged.
Meanwhile in Kananga, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) assessed houses in Barangay Rizal to be inhabitable. Around 600 families were recommended by MGB for relocation to safer zones.