Cebu City gov’t to send relief goods to Medellin, Daanbantayan on Saturday

Strong winds and heavy rain at the height of Typhoon Ursula’s wrath topple this tree in the northern Cebu town of Medellin. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Relief goods of rice, canned goods, blankets, tents and construction materials will be delivered on Saturday, December 28, 2019, by the Cebu City government to the typhoon-hit towns of Medellin and Daanbantayan in northern Cebu.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said that the mayors of the two towns informed him that they mostly needed construction materials that they could use to rebuild their houses and for constructing temporary shelters where the victims could stay while the reconstruction would be ongoing.

With the supplies that were already in stock for the Mindanao aid, which included packed of rice, canned goods and 2,000 tents, Labella said the city could immediately extend the help.

He, however, said that he could not yet give monetary help to the affected areas because he had yet to call a special meeting with the City Council.

He said the council would need to come up with a resolution to release the budget for the financial assistance.

“Hopefully atoang madala ugma igo-igo nga makatabang kay wala pa man ta kapangayo og pundo sa city government,” said Labella.

(Hopefully, what we will bring tomorrow is enough to help the residents of the affected areas while we are still processing the monetary aid from the city government.)

As for the needed construction materials, Labella said there were those from the private sector, who had pledged to donate galvanized iron and blankets which would be added from the city’s stock of relief goods that would be sent out on Saturday.

Labella said he also sent the response team this morning to assess on whether there was also a need of the city to bring medical and engineering personnel to attend to the health needs of the residents and lend a hand on the rebuilding of houses.

According to Labella, he will be leaving with the city team to deliver the relief goods tomorrow./dbs