Board member tells critics to stop politicking

A MEMBER of the Provincial Board told officials to stop politicking and instead concentrate on helping the residents of Carigara where a tornado hit its business district area.

“It’s not only one family that is affected but the entire town when you focus on politicking,” Leyte second district Board Member Anlie Apostol said in an interview after the board granted her request for the declaration of the state of calamity in her town.

“The delivery of basic services and aid to the victims will be affected if we concentrate on hitting or criticizing others instead of helping them,” she said.

Her statement came after two council members of Carigara town, Councilors Dennis Garay and Eduardo Ong, aired their grievances to the Municipal Council that they were not informed of the special session held last Sunday for the declaration of the local state of calamity.

It was the local disaster risk reduction management council that urged the town council to conduct a special session for the passage of a resolution declaring the town under a state of calamity last Sunday night, she said.

With the passage of the state of calamity, Apostol said the Municipal Government will now be able to use its five-percent calamity fund amounting to about P5 million of their annual budget.

“But only 30 percent of the P5 million is allowed to be used because a local government unit must also allocate for the two remaining quarters of the year in case there is another calamity that is going to happen,” she said.

Apostol also debunked critics who are saying that their public market was made from substandard materials, as it was only the roofing that was destroyed by the tornado and not the entire building.

“If the building was substandard it should be the entire building that was lifted by the tornado, but it was only the roofing, which means the integrity of the building was good,” Apostol said.

Apostol said the Municipal Government already made a contingency plan for the affected market vendors.

She added that Mayor Trinidad Apostol had already instructed their personnel to finish the rehabilitation of the public market before the town celebrates its fiesta. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)