Rain-affected mango farmers to get Cebu City gov’t aid

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered three Cebu City departments to inspect Barangay Mabini where the recent rains destroyed 205 mango trees. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has promised that the city government will provide assistance to the farmers whose mango trees were destroyed in the recent torrential rains. 

The mayor ordered the City Agriculture Department (CAD), the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRMMO) to inspect the area in Barangay Mabini where 205 trees were destroyed. 

The CAD has previously said that a total of P3.75 million worth of mango trees and fruits were destroyed in the rains in Barangay Mabini. 

Read: Mango farm in Cebu City sustains P3.75M worth of damage due to recent rains

Labella said that the farmers were victims of disasters and should be assisted just like the other victims of landslides and flooding. 

Furthermore, the mayor ordered the Department of Public Works (DEPW) to inspect the road network in the area for any damage. 

“Ipatan-aw pud nato sa DEPW para motan-aw unsoan nato nga marehabilitate ang area labi na ang road network,” said the mayor. 

Read: Labella orders DEPW to check on all landslide and flooded areas

The mayor said the farmers will qualify for financial assistance because they were victims of disasters, but the city government had still yet to identify how much the financial assistance they would provide. 

The mayor assured the farmers in the mountain barangays that the city government was ready to help them in times of disasters./dbs