THE Cagayan de Oro City Council did not approve Monday, September 9, the request of village officials of Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City to declare the barangay under a state of calamity due to the recent flooding.
Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr.'s proposal to declare the recently flooded barangay under state of calamity did not get the green light following Councilor Girlie Balaba's report that only one house was destroyed by flood on the first week of September.
Balaba, committee on social services chair, said there was only minimal damage from the flood and therefore does not warrant a calamity declaration.
She said the family whose house was swept away by the flood was already given a relocation by the City Government.
Meanwhile, Bugo barangay chairman Vic Talingting said although only one house was destroyed, 80 percent of the barangay's total population was flooded.
Talingting also admitted that their validation report submitted to the City Government is still incomplete.
"Ang among validation report late man gud, kay nabahaan pud ang validators, so admitted pud nga wala gyud validation report nga ensakto, so mao pud siguro dili gyud makita ang real situation," he said.
Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy, however, assured Bugo residents that they will convene anytime to declare a state of calamity if the requirements set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government is followed.