Cebu to send P1M aid to Ompong-devastated provinces

DAVIDE

THE Cebu Provincial government will be sending financial assistance amounting to P1 million to each Northern Luzon province largely-devastated by typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut).

Governor Hilario Davide III said he has already instructed Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Baltazar Tribunalo to identify the provinces that were badly affected by the typhoon.

“I’ve already instructed our PDRRMO head to find out which provinces in northern Luzon were badly hit by the typhoon and then we will commit to give financial assistance lang nga P1 million [each],” Davide told reporters on Monday, September 17.

But Davide said the province can only afford to give the cash assistance, which will be sourced from the province’s quick response fund, to about 4 or 5 affected provinces.

“Mao nang gipa-check pa nako ni Baltz [Tribunalo]. Casualties, damage on crops, maybe those provinces nga daghan ang towns nga naigo gyod sa bagyo,” Davide added.
(That’s why I asked Baltz to check on it first. We will send help especially to those provinces with casualties, damaged crops, or those with many affected towns.)

59 dead

Ompong tracked the Cagayan-Batanes areas as it stayed in the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) from Wednesday afternoon until Saturday evening.

It left at least 59 dead in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon and Metro Manila as of Sunday, September 16 as reported by national media.

As of Sunday, four provinces and a town in Luzon have already declared a State of Calamity in their area due to the damages brought by the typhoon. These are Cagayan, Abra, Benguet, Isabela, and the Municipality of Mayoyao in Ifugao.

Davide said that they preferred to give financial assistance instead of sending relief goods because it would take time to procure and deliver the items.

In 2017, the provincial government also sent a P1-million financial assistance to Surigao City after the latter declared a state of calamity due to the damages brought by the magnitude 6.7 earthquake.