Naga aid passed in Council

The City Council approved in suspended rules in yesterday’s regular session an ordinance providing P2 Million food and non-food assistance to Naga City, Cebu which has been declared under state of calamity after a massive landslide.

The ordinance requests authority of the City Mayor to utilize portion of the 30% of the Quick Respond Fund out of the 5% Calamity Fund of the City Government for the said assistance.

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang of the committee on Finance, Ways & Means, and Appropriations proposed the said ordinance with the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Rodrigo Bustillo.

As of writing, there are 56 dead, and 10 injured persons rescued 5 days after the disaster. The rescue and retrieval operations are still ongoing, however.

Furthermore, the record of the Sanggunian resolutions stipulates that the support will go to the 4,000 affected families of Naga City.

The resolution further provides that such destruction necessitates relief operations, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and provision of basic services in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, attached to the resolution is a certification of the City Budget Office (CBO) that there is still P69,482,746.90 available under the 30% Quick Respond Fund under the CY 2018 Annual Budget of the City.

It was earlier reported that the CBO ensures that there is ample amount remaining shall there be calamities to hit the city. (Julianne A. Suarez)