Rehabilitation of Agaton-struck barangays in Cebu City begins

Disaster Risk Reduction and rescue personnel in Cebu City evacuated two families in Barangay Budlaan on Sunday, April 10, 2022, following a minor landslide caused by Tropical Depression Agaton. | Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Rehabilitation of TD Agaton-struck barangays is expected to start soon after the Cebu City Council granted Mayor Michael Rama’s request to declare a state of calamity.

However, the City Council only declared 35 barangays under a state of calamity so the funds will be focused on them.

The council members said that there is no need to declare a city-wide state of calamity because there was no storm signal and the majority of the barangays remained unscathed by the tropical depression.

The barangays under State of Calamity include:

Binaliw
Sirao
Budlaan
Guba
Lusaran
Mabolo
San Roque
T. Padilla
Pulangbato
Talamban
Sinsin
Pung-ol Sibugay
Tabunan
Bonbon
Buhisan
Babag
Mambaling
Labangon
Duljo Fatima
Tisa
Inayawan
Cogon Pardo
Basak Pardo
Toong
Sapangdaku
Pamutan
Bacayan
Kalunasan
Cogon Ramos
Sto.Niño
Bulacao
Cambinocot
Capitol Site
Lorega San Miguel
Agsungot

Lawyer Gerry Carillo, the chairperson of the Disaster Coordinating Council, said that since the state of calamity has been raised for the said barangays, they can start to appropriate funds for restoration projects.

Carillo said the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) is appropriating P110 million for the fixing of roads and infrastructure.

P60 million will be used to rent heavy equipment and machinery while P50 million will be used for the materials needed for construction.

The total damages the 35 barangays incurred reached P140 million, but Carillo said they will focus on the areas that need immediate rehabilitation.

“We can start fixing the roads. Unahon nato ang dili na gyod or lisod na kaayo maagian,” he said.

The agricultural sector also sustained P40 million in damages, but Carillo said the Department of Agriculture is still finalizing the budget they will release to aid the farmers and stock raisers.

The Disaster Coordinating Council does not have an exact timeline for the completion of the rehabilitation, especially since many of the damages were already incurred since Typhoon Odette and were aggravated by TD Agaton.

Still, he assured the Cebu City residents that funds are being appropriated to fix the destroyed infrastructure so mobility will return to normal.     /rcg

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