P2M Surigao cash aid to push through – Tom O

THE Cebu City government will push through with the P2-million donation for the earthquake-stricken town in Surigao del Norte, but they will remain firm in canceling the P10-million cash assistance for Ormoc City.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said this as he apologized to the people of San Francisco, Surigao del Norte for the delay of the city’s cash assistance to them.
Osmeña said that the delay came from the Cebu City government.

He said Nagiel Bañacia of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) was tasked to work on the aid but failed to do so because of his out of the country activities.

“(It’s) Not caused by them (Surigao) at all. It (aid) is pushing through. He (Bañacia) did not do anything. He goes to China for one month and things like that,” he said.

Osmeña is addressing the issue by relieving Bañacia of his foreign jobs’ duties for the Sister City Commission.

Alvin Dizon, Sister City Commission head, has been tasked to handle all the Sister City activities.

Bañacia is in charge of the disaster office and is supposed to provide rapid response, Osmeña said.

CDN tried to contact Bañacia but he could not be reached for comment.

Days after the February earthquake hit Surigao del Norte, Osmeña sent Bañacia to the Surigao town to conduct a post-disaster analysis. His inspection led to the P2-million donation proposal at the City Council which was approved last August.

“My apologies to Surigao. (It is) not their fault,” Osmeña said about the delayed cash aid.