THE City Government of Cadiz will allocate P2 million in financial assistance to its residents affected by strong winds and storm surges over the weekend.
Mayor Patrick Escalante said the City Council approved Tuesday his recommendation to declare a state of calamity so that the P8-million Quick Response Fund will be released to help the affected families.
The huge waves, which also hit Victorias City and the towns of Manapla and E.B. Magalona, left an estimated damage of about P2 million in Cadiz City.
It affected 122 families in 11 coastal barangays, and destroyed 12 houses and damaged 110 others.
The waves and winds also destroyed 42 pump boats and damaged 57 more.
Escalante said they will use the P2 million for the purchase of materials needed for the repair of pump boats. These will then be distributed to the affected residents.
The mayor said the allocation will also include relief and rice assistance.
Escalante added that families whose houses were destroyed have already started to relocate to the housing units constructed by the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Barangay Tiglawigan.
In Manapla, Mayor Lourdes Escalante said the municipality cannot declare a state of calamity even if the damage was estimated to be around P3 million.
She said that Manapla did not meet the parameters for declaring a state of calamity, which includes 20 percent of the population was affected and that 40 percent of their livelihood was destroyed.
Escalante said the Municipal Government will extend financial assistance to the affected fisherfolks that is “within our budget,” which will range from P1,000 to P4,000.
Affected were 59 families in five barangays. Ten houses were destroyed while 49 others were damaged. Also damaged were 141 pump boats.
Escalante said the families whose houses were destroyed will be temporarily relocated to the NHA housing units in Barangay Santa Teresa.
She added that the local government continues to extend relief assistance to the victims since their livelihood was affected.
In Victorias City, high tide and strong winds also destroyed 10 houses and damaged 68 others in one barangay, which affected 68 families. Also damaged were 11 pump boats.
In E.B. Magalona town, three houses were destroyed while 50 houses were damaged in four barangays. A total of 37 pump boats were also destroyed and damaged.