Thursday, June 26, 2008 CH to provide cash assistance
THE Cebu City Council yesterday declared a state of calamity to give financial aid to passengers and crewmembers of mv Princess of the Stars, which sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon last Saturday.
The council, which approved en masse City Councilor Gerardo Carillo’s request, agreed to give P5,000 per survivor, P10,000 per dead victim, and an additional P5,000 for every breadwinner among those who were aboard the ship.
The assistance, however, will only be given to Cebu City residents. Funds will be taken from the city’s calamity funds.
Carillo delivered a privilege speech narrating what happened and what manner of help the city has extended to relatives and family members of victims.
Through the City Disaster Coordination Council, the City put up a disaster operations center since Sunday night at the Sulpicio Pier 5 terminal and later at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The City provided amenities and social workers who helped provide counsel and stress debriefing to grieving family members.
Aside from the giving of financial assistance, the council requested the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Air Force, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police to immediately send the remains of victims to Cebu City.
“(This is) to assuage the (grief) of the members of the family who are anxiously waiting for their loved ones,” Carillo said.
The council also requested the Office of the President to conduct an immediate investigation and for the Special Board of Marine Inquiry to “proceed with a no-nonsense investigation and pinpoint liability.”
City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said somebody should be held criminally liable.
“The Cebu City Government is also vehemently demanding a thorough investigation on the incident so that those who are responsible will be punished and the victims and their families be given justice,” Carillo said.
City Councilor Edgardo Labella, who survived the sinking of another Sulpicio Lines Inc. vessel a decade ago, asked that the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 “re-
evaluate” its advisories and memoranda, particularly on the discretion given to ship captains and shipowners.
After the tragedy, it was revealed that under a new agreement, the ship captains and shipowners are given the discretion whether to allow a vessel to leave port or not if storm signal number one is raised in the port of origin.
Princess of the Stars left Manila for Cebu though its route passes through the path of typhoon Frank.
Labella said concerned agencies “should always be precautionary and pre-emptive” in tackling maritime safety. (RHM)
