Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama thanked the City Council’s “sensitivity” after it supported placing 31 barangays in Cebu City under calamity status due to water shortage caused by the ongoing El Niño dry spell.
“I would like to thank the council’s sensitivity. Even if its a little bit late, still it’s better to be late than never,” Rama told reporters during a press conference at the Tabo-an Public Market.
He said the challenge now lies on the barangays, the Hillyland Commission and the quick response team under the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) to prepare a plan to provide an emergency response to the mountain barangays.
Last Thursday, the council declared the barangays of Adlaon, Agsungot, Bacayan, Binaliw, Budlaan, Busay, Cambinocot, Guba, Lusaran, Mabini, Malubog, Paril, Pit-os, Pulangbato, Talamban, Taptap, Sirao, Kalunasan, Buhisan, Sapangdako, Bonbon, Babag, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Toong, Sinsin, Tabunan, Pung-ol Sibugay, Buot, Tagbao, and Pamutan as under the state of calamity.
These barangays will be given relief operations and disaster funds./ Pearl Anton, Xavier University Intern