THE 19th Davao City Council Tuesday, August 6, passed a resolution providing P1-million financial assistance to the earthquake-stricken province of Batanes.

The City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (CDDRMO), through its chief Alfredo Baloran, made the recommendation after Batanes was declared under state of calamity due to the enormous destruction of the twin earthquakes which occured in the municipality of Itbayat, Batanes.

Baloran said the Batanes Provincial government will spearhead the distribution of the financial assistance.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) situation report, there are a total of 1,025 affected affected families with 180 damaged houses within the four affected barangays.

Baloran said the assistance will be coming from the 30-percent Quick Response Fund (QRF) from the five-percent Calamity Fund for calendar 2019.

He said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is on-leave, made the personal request.

“Ang instruction sa’to ni Mayor (The Mayor’s instruction) is to deliver it immediately upon the approval of the (City) Council,” Baloran said after the City Council’s regular session.

He said the city government will hand over the financial assistance to the provincial government.

Meanwhile, Baloran said the city will not be including food packs due to the outpouring of donation from other local government units (LGUs).

“Based on the report na among nadawat is daghan na donation sa pagkaon didtoa. Ang needed nila is ipalit og materials para ilang gamiton sa patindog sa ilang mga panimalay (Based on the reports we received, there have been excess of food donations already. What the affected families needed are materials they will be using in rebuilding their devastated houses),” he said.

Balora said the city has an excess of an estimated P100 million QRF funds.

Two separate earthquakes hit Batanes last Saturday, July 27. One was a magnitude 5, and the other one is magnitude 5.9. NDRRMC has reported nine deaths and 63 injured. RGL