Lacson team pressed on extent of rehab aid

How much is the national government willing to commit in funding post-Yolanda rehabilitation efforts in northern Cebu?

Provincial officials and the Cebu provincial government’s task force on rehabilitation will ask this question to representatives of the team of former senator Panfilo Lacson Jr. at the Capitol Social Hall next Monday.

Joseph Rañola, head of the Center for National Budget will represent Lacson in the meeting, said Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

“We would like to know if they can give the amount,” he told reporters yesterday.

The meeting is the first between representatives from both the Cebu provincial government and Lacson’s team three months after the supertyphoon struck northern Cebu.

Specific amount

However, Davide won’t join the meeting due to his pre-scheduled trip to  Saitama prefecture in Japan

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale will attend the meeting. She will be joined by Task Force Paglig-on head Baltazar Tribunalo.

Davide said he expects Rañola and other representatives from Lacson’s team to commit a specific amount and additional projects for the rebuilding efforts in Cebu.

He said Tribunalo will also provide a report on the actions taken by the Cebu provincial government  and the private sector since Yolanda struck last Nov. 8.
Dwellings

“I don’t think the money is with Sen. Lacson. He just recommends to the government agencies. Hopefully, he can do the same for us,” Davide said.

Last week, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) appealed to the rehabilitation task force headed by Lacson to prioritize storm-hit towns in northern Cebu saying the province has yet to receive substantial funding from the national government.

Multi-level plan

Undersecretary Danilo Antonio of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery said they are overseeing the allocation of private donations to be funneled to the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts in affected areas.

A team of Israeli experts on disaster management and preparedness will visit Cebu next month to train “first responders” in various government agencies  on responding better to calamity situations.

Israeli Ambassador Menashe Bar-on told the governor during a courtesy visit that the week-long workshop will cultivate coordination between the agencies.
During the training, the participants will map out a multi-level disaster contingency plan among the agencies. \With Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag