CEBU CITY -- The City Council set aside Saturday P10 million from the calamity fund for disaster preparedness, not only for Typhoon Pepeng but for any other weather disturbances this year.

Acting City Mayor Michael Rama, meanwhile, reminded households to prepare for the worst.

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“I want to emphasize preparedness at the household level. You assume the worst. Better have the tools in your household. The city is preparing, but if we cannot respond, the people should be ready,” he said.

The Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDC) is monitoring the city, particularly vulnerable areas like riverbanks and landslide-prone places.

Each barangay disaster coordinating council was also instructed to monitor residents.

Rama admitted their foremost concern is the implementation of the required three-meter easement, a “perennial problem” of the city.

Under the Water Code, a three-meter easement on both banks of the river in an urban area should be maintained for public use.

Presidential Decree 296 likewise prohibits encroachment on rivers, creeks, esteros, drainage channels and other waterways.

Building homes right next to the river is dangerous, yet this hasn’t stopped riverbank communities from sprouting in the city.

City Councilor Gerardo Carillo said Saturday that CCDCC personnel will be on the lookout for 300 families in dangerous areas.

Around 2,000 families, he said, violate the three-meter easement requirement, but 200 to 300 families are in immediate danger when rivers rise.

He said the city will implement forced evacuation to prevent a tragedy once the CCDCC sees that these households are already in danger.

Though Typhoon Pepeng did not directly affect Cebu, the Cebu City Council held Saturday a special session for the release of funds.

Emergency cash

Since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo already placed the entire country under a state of calamity, the City Council declared its support for the order “to prepare and initiate pro-active measures that would suppress the possible devastating effects of tropical cyclone Pepeng.”

The city initially planned to set aside P2 million from its calamity fund for emergency purchases over the weekend.

The amount was for the rental of heavy equipment and the purchase of food for residents who may have to be evacuated from their homes.

During the session Saturday, however, the city councilors agreed to increase the amount to P10 million, which would cover not only the expenses for Typhoon Pepeng but for other tropical cyclones that could hit Cebu in the next three months.

“This is an opportunity to prepare the riverbanks; why won’t we raise this to P10 million?” City Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. said.

“The money is needed in clearing the riverbanks of people because they are at risk in case of flash floods,” he told Sun.Star Cebu after the session.

Pe’s suggestion was carried after City Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa said the amount should also be used to “prepare for the devastating effects of forthcoming typhoons.”

In the same session, the City Council also placed Barangay Luz under a state of calamity after fire destroyed an estimated P300,000 in properties past 10 a.m. Friday.

In a press conference, Rama thanked the council for the declaration, adding that tree-planting has to continue in the city, especially that the mountains are slowly being carved for housing facilities.

“There should be balanced development in the upland. Dili pwede nga development and then we lack a program to restore the disturbance on the ecosystem,” said the acting mayor. (RHM/Sun.Star Cebu)