THE Provincial Government of Cebu already received on Thursday, April 25, the P1.5 million financial assistance coming from the City Government of Davao.
On Thursday, officials from Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CPDRRMO) led by its chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., DRRM officers of Talisay City and Carcar City, and representatives of the Bureau of Treasury 7 and the Commission on Audit (COA) received the cash donation from Davao City lead by City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Alfredo Baloran.
Committee on finance, ways, means and appropriations vice chair, Councilor Diosdado Mahipus said the election ban did not hinder the local government from giving assistance to the disaster-affected areas, since the checks were turned over to Philippine Red Cross-Cebu Chapter (PRC), which will serve as the third party that will distribute the cash assistance to the LGUs.
“Mao pud na amo gi-ask at first, considering nga ongoing ang election ban. Pero since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) passed a resolution that all help or relief assistance during the election must be coursed through the PRC, and no candidate or their relatives up to second degree of consanguinity or affinity will be allowed directly or indirectly to distribute the amount or the relief assistance to the victims of the calamity,” Mahipus said.
The Davao City Government shed out financial assistance to state of calamity-declared provinces, cities and municipalities affected by the dry spell, including Davao del Sur, Carcar, Talisay and Cebu City and Cebu province and municipalities of Bingawan and Lambunao in Iloilo and Murcia in Negros Occidental.
The fund was taken from the 30-percent Quick Response Fund (QRF) from the 5-percent Calamity Fund for the calendar 2019, which has a total amount of more than P138 million.
On Tuesday, a total of P3.4-million aid was approved by the 18th City Council.
The breakdown of the assistance includes P1 million for Davao del Sur; P400,000 for the province of Cebu; P500,000 for Cebu City; P300,000 for cities of Talisay and Carcar in Cebu; and P300,000 for the municipalities of Binagwan and Lambunao in Iloilo and Murcia in Negros Occidental.
The council said Davao City is not included in the places that have been declared in state of calamity since the CDDRMO made no recommendations for the declaration despite some fields in the city being slightly affected with the dry spell.
Mahipus said that 50 percent of the calamity fund can already be disbursed despite the pending passage of the resolution for its third and final reading this Tuesday, and has yet to be signed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“Naa’y built-in authority ang city mayor na pwede na immediately i-release ang fund, then subject to liquidation na lang afterwards,” Mahipus said.
He also said additional areas will be included in the coming days, depending their declaration of state of calamity. These areas may include those earthquake affected areas in Luzon.
Meanwhile, Mahipus guaranteed that the city has enough bulk funds that it can utilize for the rest of the year.