Cebu City may extend financial assistance to Ursula-hit towns

The Cebu City government and Walk and Talk Friendship Club brought relief goods to the typhoon victims in northern Cebu last December 28. (Cebu City PIO)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is willing to extend financial assistance to Ursula-hit towns in northern Cebu, if necessary.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said he is only waiting for the damage assessment of the towns that were severely hit by Ursula to determine the immediate needs of the affected residents.

“Kinahanglan gyud aron dili mausik ang resources sa syudad. Atong gipa-assess kung unsa pa ang mga panginahanglan and it needs a council resolution to provide financial assistance,” Labella said.

(We really need to assess first what are their immediate needs so that we would not waste the city’s resources. We also need to have a council resolution to provide financial assistance.)

“Kung igo na gani, di na tingali kinahanglan because that typhoon was not as bad as Yolanda. Kung makaya na sa ilang mga local government units. Naa man sad tay kaugalingon nga share of calamities dinhi kaning mga nasunogan [in Inayawan],” he added.

(If what we have given is already enough, we may not provide financial assistance anymore, especially if their local government units can already manage it. We also have our fair share of calamities like the fire victims in Inayawan.)

Last Saturday, December 28, 2019, the city and the Walk and Talk Friendship Club brought Operation Tabang to Daanbantayan and Medellin that were severely hit by the typhoon on Christmas eve.

Read: Cebu City brings relief goods, materials for roofs to typhoon victims in Daanbantayan

They distributed 200 sacks of rice, 2000 pieces of tarpaulin (waterproof canvass), 195 boxes of bottled water, 2000 pieces of 1-liter bottled water, 300 sheets of galvanized iron for the roofs and 400 loaves of bread.

Labella said the goods that they delivered were some excess from the relief goods for the earthquake victims in Mindanao.

“It is not as bad as Yolanda. Nonetheless, daghan gyud kaayong victims. Atong huwaton[ang assessment]. I will converse with Vice Mayor Mike Rama if we will call another session for the purpose of financial assistance,” Labella said.

(Nonetheless, there are a lot of victims.We will wait for the assessment.) /bmjo