MANDAUE City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano met with the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MCDRRMO) on Thursday, November 6, 2025, to discuss the city’s current post-disaster situation and finalize data needed to declare a state of calamity.
Ouano said the meeting was part of the City’s effort to comply with the proper process before officially declaring a state of calamity, a requirement that will allow the city to access its Quick Response Fund (QRF) for immediate disaster relief.
“Yes, based on our assessment and the visits we made to various evacuation sites, we are meeting today with the MCDRRMO Council to pass this requirement,” Ouano said. “This is necessary so that we can formally declare a State of Calamity and quickly access our Quick Response Fund.”
During the meeting, officials reviewed updates gathered from different barangays, including reports on clearing operations, ongoing needs, and the extent of damage to homes.
“As of today, November 6, 2025, we have validated around 1,600 houses that are totally damaged, and the number continues to rise since not all barangays have submitted their reports,” the mayor said. “Meanwhile, more than 4,000 houses were reported to be partially damaged.”
According to Ouano, the data came primarily from the City Social Services (CS) and MCDRRMO, which rely on reports submitted by barangay officials.
“As of 7 a.m. today, 1,547 totally damaged houses were recorded, but validation is still ongoing because some barangays have not yet submitted their reports,” he said.
The mayor emphasized the importance of accurate data through the city’s Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA), which serves as the basis for declaring a state of calamity.
“I’ve noticed that some local government units quickly declared a state of calamity without going through their councils’ approval,” Ouano noted. “But for us in Mandaue, we want to follow the correct process and make sure our data is accurate before making any declaration.”
He also acknowledged differences in response across barangays. While some are well-organized and have personnel actively working on the ground, others lack visible participation.
“Some barangays are very organized, and we can see their personnel on-site. But unfortunately, there are also barangays where we couldn’t find anyone from their local team. Some seem to rely completely on the city government, when in fact, they should be our partners in response and recovery,” he said.
Ouano reminded that barangays are the first responders in times of crisis and urged them to work hand in hand with the city to ensure faster assistance to affected residents.
“What we really need now is strong coordination and communication with the barangays,” he said.
“We already sent food supplies, rice, and canned goods to evacuation centers. We also asked barangay officials to help prepare and cook food for evacuees since our personnel are spread out across almost all barangays,” he added.
He also said that while some barangays have efficiently managed their evacuation sites, others tend to wait for the city to take all the initiative.
“There are barangays that are doing well and we have no problem with them, but there are also some that just wait for the city to do everything. I told them, please help us too, because this is not just one or two barangays we’re assisting right now, it’s the entire city of Mandaue. We need everyone’s cooperation,” he said.
As Mandaue continues to validate reports and assess damages, Ouano assured that the City’s priority remains clear: to ensure that affected residents have food, clean water, and shelter while recovery efforts are underway.
“My priority is the welfare of our people in Mandaue,” he said. (ABC)