Cebu City Council declares State of Preparedness to access funds for Agaton rehab

The Cebu City Council has declared the State of Preparedness to access funds to help the victims of  Tropical Depression Agaton which battered Cebu and the rest of the Visayas earlier this week.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has refused to declare a State of Calamity for the city over the damages it incurred due to Tropical Depression Agaton. Instead, it has chosen to declare the State of Preparedness.

Lawyer Gerry Carillo, the chairperson for the city’s Disaster Council, has presented to the City Council on Maundy Thursday the damages that the mountain barangays suffered through Agaton.

Carillo said that 111 incidents occurred throughout the city including landslides, flooding, overflowed rivers, damaged roads, and others.

Landslides and rockfalls alone occurred at 40 different sites. Flooding occurred in 15 separate areas along the city’s waterways.

At least 252 families were evacuated with 997 individuals in total. The remaining evacuees as of Maundy Thursday are 13 families with 70 individuals.

Structure damages reached P400 million, and agriculture and livestock damages reached P40 million as well.

“Na aggravated ang damage from Odette pag Agaton. Naayo na unta ang ubang eskwelahan pero naguba na pud og balik,” said Carillo to the Council.

While the councilors are concerned about the damages sustained or aggravated by the recent weather disturbance, the majority of them refused to declare a State of Calamity.

Councilors Nestor Archival, David Tumulak, and Philip Zafra, were among those who strongly opposed the allocations of more funds into calamity response saying that the damages this time were mitigated.

“Nganong modeclare man tag State of Calamity? Do we reach the necessary requirement to declare a state of calamity?” asked Archival.

Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera also refused to declare the State of Calamity and instead urged the Council to declare the State of Preparedness so the city can use the preparedness funds.

“We can declare a State of Preparedness since there are areas that need to be monitored and now I am worried about the people in Barangay Pardo. There is also in Barangay Agsungot over an alleged illegal quarry,” she said.

The Council members agreed to this and declared the State of Preparedness under the condition that a more thorough report will be provided next week by the Disaster Council for a possible declaration of a State of Calamity.

The declaration of State of Preparedness will allow the city to tap into the 30 percent calamity funds allocated for preparedness to help Agaton affected areas.     /rcg

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